Thursday, November 4, 2010

Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala)


Coppersmith Barbet is a very common bird of forests and gardens of low country dry zone and lower hills. However occasional sightings of it in some wet zone areas are recorded and scattered colonies are reported from places like Kandy and Avissawella (A Guide to the bird of Sri Lanka – G.M. Henry 3rd Edition).  It has a very unique note a slow wonk, wonk, wonk….like a hammer on a copper pan. Hence the name Coppersmith barbet. Its breeding season is from November to May and again from July to Sepetember. Lay 2-3 dull white eggs in a hole cut in a dead branch of a tree or an upright post.  It keeps solitary or in pairs and parties of few birds. Food mainly consist of berries and occasionally insects like moths and plying termites. 

සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න >> 

2 comments:

  1. Beautiful bird,never seen one,I wonder weather it's found in Kurunegala.

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  2. Amila
    It should be there in Kurunagala area. Trees with berries such as Bo, Nuga are its favorite places. Above picture was taken at Nalanda gedige of Nawula close to Bowatenne tank. It was feeding on berries of Bo tree.

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