Coppersmith Barbet

Scientific Name: Psilopogon haemacephalus
Malay Name: Takur Tukang Biasa
Chinese Name: 赤胸拟啄木鸟

Range:
Found from the Indian subcontinent to Southern China and Southeast Asia.

Taxonomy:
Polytypic. Subspecies are: indicus, delicus, roseus, haemacephalus, celestinoi, mindanensis, intermedius, cebuensis, homochroa.

Local Subspecies: indicus

Size: 17 cm

Identification:
Adult has stout blackish bill, reddish legs, bright green uppeparts, greenish-white underparts with green streaks, yellow face and throat with black eye-stripe, reddish forecrown and small red patch at upper breast. Juvenile looks duller and lacks the reddish parts of the adult.

Habitat: Gardens, parks, mangroves and suitable wooded areas but not forest.

Behaviour/Ecology: Its call sounds like a coppersmith hitting copper sheets.

Local Status: Common resident

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

Location: Chinese/Japanese Gardens, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Bidadari, Jurong ECO Garden, Pasir Ris Park, Bishan Park and other suitable parks, gardens and wooded areas.

Featured articles:

• Local extinctions of Singapore birds (Science)

Coppersmith Barbet at Pasir Ris Park. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

Coppersmith Barbet at Pasir Ris Park. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

Coppersmith Barbet at Pasir Ris Park. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

Coppersmith Barbet at Pasir Ris Park. Photo Credit: See Toh Yew Wai

Coppersmith Barbet at Pasir Ris Park. Photo Credit: Francis Yap