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.
- Local extinctions of Singapore birds (Science)
- The breeding season in Singapore (Science)
- Bird Calls of Singapore (Birders' Stories)
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (Coppersmith Barbet)
References:
BirdLife International. (2016). Psilopogon haemacephalus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22681681A92916283.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023
Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.
RECOMMENDED CITATION
Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Coppersmith Barbet. Retrieved on June 12, 2025 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/coppersmith-barbet.