Coppersmith Barbet

The Coppersmith Barbet is one of the most beautiful little birds you will ever see. A leafy green plump body that weighs just about 35 grams with its name stemming from its unique metallic sound and a glossy red head.

The uniqueness of this amazing bird does not end with its striking physical appearance and its "kuk kuk" sounds. The Coppersmith Barbet can hit up to 204 different notes.

The Coppersmith Barbet belongs to the class Aves of the Animalia kingdom. They fall under the family of Megalaimidae.

The Indian names of this bird species are Chota Vasanta or Tambet or Tuktukya. The last name has been given due to the subtle banging sound it creates at the ferocious rate of 108 to 121 times per minute.

Coppersmith Barbet bears a crimson streak on its forehead with yellow flecks around the eyes. The whole body is mainly green in color in order to blend in brilliantly with the greenery around the places where they live.

The bird has orange shanks and toes with light grey to yellow underparts. This bird is certainly gorgeous to look at.

The diet of the Coppersmith Barbet usually includes fruits such as figs, guavas, and berries. They are omnivores since they also feed on insects from time to time. Their favorite being the winged termites.

This tiny bird that creates a powerful metallic sound is found in many parts of South and Southeast Asia. It is a resident bird that is not under threat. There are probably millions of them in the continent of Asia.

They are often heard rather than seen by birders. Their striking sound is what everyone seems to hear.

In India, they are found in the forests, hills, gardens and sparse woodlands of Southern India. They are also found in the suburbs of many cities of the countries.

The Coppersmith Barbet is such a well-known bird species in Mumbai that is was named as the official bird of the city in the year 2011.

Outside India, they are commonly found in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Laos, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Nepal and few other parts of Asia.

The size of this bird is around 17 centimeters. But even though it's relatively small in size it is one of the most popular birds in the lists of many birders in Asia.

Most birders have seen and heard a Coppersmith Barbet at least once in their lifetime. In fact, there are birders like us who hear their beautiful hammering sounds every single day.

While nesting, they chisel out a hole in a tree which becomes the space for their nest. During this season, the feathers on their back seems to turn from green to blue.

They usually lay 3 to 4 eggs at a single time. These eggs takes around 15 days to hatch.

They have a competitive streak running through their entire torso. They are often seen fighting and competing with other birds that look similar to them, mainly the Red-vented Bulbul and the Malabar Barbet.

When they are not competing for food, they are busy making their unique hammering sounds. These sounds start at a low volume during the first few minutes but keeps getting louder and louder as time goes by.

Another unique aspect of the Coppersmith Barbet is the fact that they do not open their beak or mouth to make these loud sounds. They make these sounds by inflating patches of bare skin on the sides of its throat while its mouth remains closed.

They are silent during the Winter making them pretty difficult to spot for birders. But they are still present in large numbers in the same places they have been for entire year. A good pair of Binoculars usually helps in spotting them in the trees during the cold season.

Like many other birds, their mating rituals involve bobbing of the head, frantically singing, puffing of the throat, ritual feeding, flicking of its tail and allopreening.

No one is perfectly clear on the average life span of this species but it is estimated that they live for 10 to 15 years. The main reasons of premature death include being eaten by predatory species and collisions with walls of tall buildings while flying.

They are not supposed to be kept as pets as caging leads to an early and quick death due to them being accustomed to their forest and woodland habitat.

Coppersmith Barbet are absolutely lovable birds whose penetrating hammering sounds are quite addictive to listen to. Many birders will find that they can still sense the sounds of this beautiful bird for many minutes after they have stopped making them.