The golden-throated barbet (Psilopogon franklinii) is an
Asian barbet native to
Southeast Asia, where it inhabits foremost forests between 900 and 2,700 m (3,000 and 8,900 ft) altitude. It is listed as
Least Concern on the
IUCN Red List because of its wide distribution and stable population.[1]
Taxonomy
Bucco franklinii was the
scientific name proposed by
Edward Blyth in 1842 who described a vivid green barbet with a golden throat collected in Darjeeling.[2]
It was placed in the
genusMegalaima proposed by
George Robert Gray in 1842 who suggested to use this name instead of Bucco.[3] In the 19th and 20th centuries, the following golden-throated barbet
zoological specimens were described:[4]
Cyanops franklinii minor proposed by C. Boden Kloss and
Frederick Nutter Chasen in 1926 for a specimen collected in
Perak, Malaysia.[7]
Cyanops franklinii trangensis proposed by
Joseph Harvey Riley in 1934 for a barbet collected in Thailand.[8]
Molecular phylogenetic research of barbets revealed that the birds in the genus Megalaima form a
clade, which also includes the
fire-tufted barbet, the only
species placed in the genus Psilopogon at the time. Barbets formerly placed in this genus were therefore reclassified under the genus Psilopogon.[9]
Two golden-throated barbet
subspecies are recognised as of 2014:[10]
P. f. franklinii occurs in the Himalayan foothills from central
Nepal to northern
Myanmar,
Laos and southwestern China.
The golden-throated barbet is vivid green above with paler yellowish-green
plumage below, deep blue wings and verditer underneath the tail. Its bill is dusky black, and it is black around the eyes. Its forehead is crimson and its throat orange. Its legs are greenish.[2]
It is 20.5–23.5 cm (8.1–9.3 in) long and weighs 50–101 g (1.8–3.6 oz).[10]
Distribution and habitat
The golden-throated barbet is resident in
Nepal,
India,
Bhutan,
Myanmar,
Thailand,
Malaysia,
Laos,
Vietnam and mainland
China. Its presence in Bangladesh is uncertain. It inhabits
tropical and subtropical moist forests at elevations of 900 to 2,700 m (3,000 to 8,900 ft).[1]
Behaviour and ecology
The male's territorial call is a very loud pukwowk.[10]
^Robinson, H. C.; Kloss, C. B. (1919). "On Birds from South Annam and Cochin China. Part I. Phasianidæ–Campophagidæ". Ibis. 61 (3): 392–453.
doi:
10.1111/j.1474-919X.1919.tb02892.x.
^Kloss, C. B.; Chasen, F. N. (1926).
"Cyanops franklinii minor". Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club. 46 (299): 57–58.
^Moyle, R. G. (2004). "Phylogenetics of barbets (Aves: Piciformes) based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequence data". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 30: 187–200.
doi:
10.1016/S1055-7903(03)00179-9.
PMID15022769.
^
abcShort, L. L.; Horne, J. F. M.; Kirwan, G. M. (2014).
"Golden-throated Psilopogon franklinii". In del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J.; Christie, D. A.; de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Vol. 7: Jacamars to Woodpeckers. Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International.
Robson, C. (2002). A Field Guide to the Birds of Thailand. London, Sydney, Auckland: New Holland.
ISBN1-84330-921-1.