Photo: रघुबीर सिंह / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Great Barbet
Psilopogon virens
Great Barbet (Psilopogon virens) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Great Barbet (Psilopogon virens) is a member of the Megalaimidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 202 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Piciformes
- Family Megalaimidae Asian Barbets
- Genus Psilopogon
- Species virens
Quick facts
- Weight
- 202 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Megalaimidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Great Barbet is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Great Barbet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Great Barbet (Psilopogon virens) is a member of the Megalaimidae family, within the order Piciformes. It occurs naturally across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR nw India to se China and Myanmar.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 202 g, with a wing length of about 13.8 cm and a tail of around 10.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 3.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Great Barbet?
The Great Barbet is a large bird that weighs around 202 g.
Where does the Great Barbet live?
The Great Barbet is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR nw India to se China and Myanmar, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Great Barbet belong to?
The Great Barbet (Psilopogon virens) belongs to the Megalaimidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Great Barbet eat?
The Great Barbet is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Great Barbet migrate?
The Great Barbet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Great Barbet endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Great Barbet make?
1 real field recording of the Great Barbet — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Great Barbet's range?
The Great Barbet has a mapped global range of about 3.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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