Birds of the Indian Hills 



woodpeckers, and in the pitta. The existence 

 of these red under tail-coverts in such diverse 

 species can, I think, be explained only on the 

 hypothesis that there is an inherent tendency to 

 variation in this direction in many species. 



A striking feature of the great Himalayan 

 barbet is its massive yellow bill, which is as large 

 as that of some species of toucan. Although 

 the bird displays a number of brilliant colours, 

 it is not at all easy to distinguish from its leafy 

 surroundings. It is one of those birds which 

 are heard more often than seen. 



Barbets are never so happy as when listening 

 to their own voices. Most birds sing and make 

 a joyful noise only at the nesting season. Not 

 so the barbets ; they call all the year round ; 

 even unfledged nestlings raise up the voices of 

 infantile squeakiness. 



The call of the great Himalayan barbet is 

 very distinctive and easy to recognise, but is 

 far from easy to portray in words. Jerdon 

 described the call as a plaintive fi-o, fi-o. 

 Hutton speaks of it as hoo-hoo-hoo. Scully 

 syllabises it as till-low, till-low, till-low. Perhaps 

 the best description of the note is that it is 

 a mournful wailing, fee-yu, fee-yu, fee-yu. 



Some like the note, and consider it both striking 



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