Black-eared barbet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black-eared barbet |
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| Illustration, 1838 | |
| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Psilopogon
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| Species: |
duvaucelii
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The black-eared barbet (Psilopogon duvaucelii) is a colorful bird. It belongs to the Megalaimidae family. You can find this bird in places like Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo. It likes to live in forests and bushy areas, sometimes as high as 1,200 meters (about 3,900 feet) up a mountain!
Scientists have listed the black-eared barbet as a species of "least concern" on the IUCN Red List. This means there are still many of these birds, and they are not currently in danger of disappearing.
What Does the Black-Eared Barbet Look Like?
The black-eared barbet has bright, eye-catching colors. Its body is mostly covered in olive-green feathers. Its throat and the back of its neck are a beautiful blue.
This bird also has a black beak. A large black stripe runs across its eyes. Below its eyes, you can see small red spots. These red spots are circled by black, making them stand out.
The black-eared barbet is a small bird. It is about 16 to 17 centimeters (6.3 to 6.7 inches) long. It weighs between 26.3 and 37 grams (about 0.9 to 1.3 ounces).
How Scientists Name and Group Birds
Scientists give every animal a special scientific name. This helps everyone around the world know exactly which animal they are talking about. For the black-eared barbet, its first scientific name was Bucco duvaucelii. This name was given by a scientist named René Lesson in 1830. He described a barbet he saw in Sumatra.
Later, in 1836, another scientist named Salomon Müller suggested a new group name, Psilopogon, for some barbets. Over time, many scientists studied different barbets. They sometimes gave them new group names based on what they observed. This is how scientists work to understand and organize all the different kinds of animals on Earth.
Sometimes, animals of the same species can look a little different depending on where they live. These slightly different groups are called subspecies. Since 2014, scientists have recognized three main subspecies of the black-eared barbet:
- P. d. duvaucelii: This is the most common type. You can find it in Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, and Bangka Island.
- P. d. gigantorhinus: This subspecies lives on Nias Island, which is off the western coast of Sumatra.
- P. d. tanamassae: This type is found on the Batu Islands, also off the western coast of Sumatra.
