Psilopogon viridis

Panchgani, Maharashtra

(Endemic to South India only)

Panchgani is a stunning hill station in Maharashtra, nestled amidst the Sahyadri Mountains overlooking the Krishna River Basin, with lush landscapes, pink weather and charming colonial architecture. This picturesque destination enchants visitors with its panoramic views from Table Land, Asia’s 2nd largest mountain plateau, and various view points like the Sydney Point & Parsi Point which offer breathtaking vistas, while the Devil's Kitchen and the Rajpuri Caves hide intriguing historical mysteries. Also known as the Table Land Cave, the Devil's Kitchen is a fascinating labyrinth of caves & crevices formed due to volcanic activity. Legends say that the Pandavas from the Mahabharata period stayed here during their exile. For those interested in spirituality and history, the Rajpuri Caves are significant. These ancient caves are believed to be the residence of Lord Kartikeya, the son of Lord Shiva. The complex comprises four caves with jal kunds (small water reservoirs), and the temple architecture is a testament to the region's cultural and religious heritage.

We stayed at the Mount View Heritage Hotel which was established in 1923 and has Colonial style architecture with beautiful landscapes and a spectacular view of the Krishna River Valley. It is located in the heart of Panchgani and close to all the tourist attractions, makes it the ideal place to relax and to explore the beauty of this quaint hill station. Situated at an altitude of 4,200 ft in Panchgani and set in 2 Acres of lush greenery with a beautiful garden, the hotel is nestled amidst five hills in the Sahyadri mountain ranges with the Krishna River flowing nearby. One is presented with a picture of breathtaking natural beauty. offering spectacular views of mountain ranges and panoramic valleys. I took a couple of magical holy grail sunset timelapses which I have shared on my YouTube channel. The sky literally exploded with colours as the sun set the first evening and for the second it glowed through the fog making for an ethereal experience. You can read the blog here to understand how I went about shooting the holy grail timelapses. 

The lush foliage of the hotel is teeming with bird and wildlife. There are resident mongoose, this endemic barbet making its nest at my doorstep, the Malabar whistling thrush also called the whistling schoolboy of the forests, numerous old world babblers and quite a few more. I was thrilled! 

Read about the various species of Thrushes I have photographed.

Panchgani

Panchgani is a quaint little hill station southeast of Mumbai - at around 250 kilometers and around 108 kilometres from Pune - in the state of Maharashtra. It’s known for the Table Land, a huge volcanic plateau. Lookouts like Sydney Point and Parsi Point offer views of Dhom Dam lake and Kamalgad Fort, used as a prison by the British in the early 19th century. To the southeast, the Rajpuri Caves are surrounded by sacred jal kunds and contain a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Lord Kartikeya.

As seems to be the norm with hill stations in India, Panchgani too was “developed” by the British as a summer resort under the supervision of Lord John Chesson in the 1860s. Panchgani was developed as a retirement hub given its climate remained pleasant throughout the year. He surveyed the hills of this region with Rustomji Dubash, and finally decided on this nameless area around the five villages: Dandeghar, Godavali, Ambral, Khingar, and Taighat. The place was aptly named Panchgani, meaning "land between five villages", and Chesson was made superintendent. The Krishnā River flows in the valley on which the Dhom Dam has been built approximately 9 km from the historic Peshwa town of Wai. To the east of Panchgani lie Wai, the Bavdhan & the Nagewadi dam, to the west is Gureghar, to the south is Khingar & Rajpuri and to the north is Dhom Dam.

Birding in the Sahyadri Mountains

In the southwestern part of India’s peninsula, the oldest mountain range - the Western Ghats - is one of the most biogeographically rich places in the world. Of these mountains, the Sahyadri mountains, can be compared with the Amazon! What you say? Yes, it is true, because the number of species found within a specified area is almost the same. The Western Ghats ranges comprise of geomorphic characteristics of tremendous significance with distinctive biophysical and biological processes. 

The Indian monsoon weather pattern is influenced by the high montane forests in the region. The location offers one of the world’s best examples of the monsoon system, which, in turn, helps to moderate the tropical climate of the area. It is regarded as one of the eight “hottest hotspots“ of biological diversity in the world and has an extraordinarily high level of endemism and biological diversity. The Western Ghats forests contain 30% of all the wildlife found in India and are home to atleast 300 species of fish, 117 species of amphibians, 71 species of reptiles, 600 species of birds, 121 species of mammals and other wildlife. The two endemic species of mammals found here are the Nilgiri Tahr and the Lion-tailed Macaque. Around 50% of amphibians found in India along with 67% of fish are endemic to the region and 29 species of birds are found only in the Western Ghat region.

The Western Ghats run along the west coast extending from Gujarat in the north to Tamil Nadu in the south, traversing 16000kms through six states - Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala & Tamil Nadu - interrupted only once by a 30km break called the Palghat Gap in northern Kerala. At their narrowest the Western Ghats are only 48kms wide and at their widest they are spread over 210kms. 

The landscape of these ghats vary from spectacular plateaus, hills and valleys covered in lush green foliage with numerous streams flowing through them. The altitude ranges from 2695m to sea level. The ghats are divided into 4 sections to facilitate easy study of rainfall, vegetation, altitude, diversity etc. The northern part - from South Gujarat to South Maharashtra is called the Northern Western Ghats. The entire area in Karnataka with some part of North Kerala is the Central Western Ghats. From North Kerala to Central Kerala till Palghat and towards east from the North Kerala to Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu is the fabulous Nilgiris region and the southern most part in the Kerala region is the South Western Ghats.

The Western Ghats are also home to four different primary forest types. These have a strong relationship with temperature and rainfall patterns. These are unfortunately degrading with increasing speed given the unrestricted entry of vehicles and unregulated boom in tourism. This rich region in flora has given the highest diversity in fauna and avifauna. India is home to around 1300 species of birds and the Western Ghats alone has almost 45% of the total number which is 600 plus species of just birds. Some of the common species found here are the Red-whiskered Bulbul, Malabar Whistling Thrush, Orange Minivet, Asian Fairy Bluebird, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Golden-fronted Leafbird, Emerald Dove, Great Hornbill, Heart-spotted Woodpecker, Indian Grey Hornbill and many more. There are 29 endemic species - Nilgiri Woodpigeon, Grey-fronted Green-pigeon, Malabar Grey Hornbill, Malabar Barbet, Malabar Parakeet, Malabar Woodshrike, White-bellied Treepie, Broad-tailed Grassbird, Flame-throated Bulbul, Grey-headed Bulbul, Rufous Babbler, Wynaad Laughingthrush, Palani Chilappan, Ashambu Chilappan, Banasura Chilappan, Nilgiri Chilappan, Malabar Starling, Nilgiri Thrush, Nilgiri Sholakii, White-bellied Sholakii, Nilgiri Flycatcher, Black and Orange Flycatcher, White-bellied Blue Flycatcher, Nilgiri Flycatcher, Crimson-backed Sunbird, Sahyadri Sunbird, Nilgiri Pipit, Malabar Lark, and, our bird today, White-cheeked Barbet.   

I found a research paper on birds of the Sahyadri which I have included here. The paper includes sections on birding at both Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar and several other well known hotspots - click the button below to read it. Quite an interesting read.

A lot of my early and formative years in wildlife exploration and photography have been spent traversing the Western Ghats from north to south. I was stationed in Bangalore at the time which is an easy drive into the Nilgiris and I took full advantage of the fact. The gallery below are some photos from a memorable trip in December 2012, when, with my wife and young daughter, I had ventured into south Karnataka and north Kerala - the forests of Nagarhole and Wayanad. We stayed at a fantastic homestay which was a pepper and coffee plantation. Also Instagram had just started in India in 2010 and I was keen on the square format so some “Instagram“ worthy were taken too. :)

Most of the photos from the gallery above are from the Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, wildlife range - Srimangala.

Brahmagiri, is a mountain range in the Western Ghats of south India. It is situated on the border between Kodagu district in Karnataka state in the north and Wayanad district of Kerala state on the south . Brahmagiri Hill, at 1608 m height, is a scenic tourist attraction. The top of Brahmagiri Hill is well forested and has a lot of wildlife. Thirunelli Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, lies on the Kerala side of Brahmagiri. This temple is known as Dakshina Kasi or the Kasi of the South. The temple was constructed in an ancient style and includes 30 granite pillars. According to legend, the temple was constructed by Lord Brahma himself. Pakshipathalam at an altitude of 1740 m is another attraction on the Kerala side. Pakshipathalam has a cave that is said to have been used by rishis in ancient times. On the Karnataka side it is also known by the name of Munikal cave.

Irupu (or Irruppu or Lakshmana Tirtha) Falls of the Lakshmana Tirtha River lies on the Karnataka side of Brahmagiri. According to legend, when Rama and Lakshmana were searching for Sita, they became thirsty. Lakshmana shot an arrow into the Brahmagiri from which the river sprang. Rama is said to have dedicated a Shiva Kshethra known as Rajeshwara Temple on the banks of river Lakshmana Tirtha. The Lakshmana Tirtha river eventually flows into the Kaveri River.

Brahmagiri can be reached by a trek from Mananthavady (29 km east) or from Kutta. From Karnataka side, trek to Brahmagiri from Irupu Falls is 9 km and to Munikal Caves is 7 km. Trekkers need to seek the permission of Range Forest Officer at Srimangala.

Brahmagiri is about 11 km from Tirunelli. Now onto the barbet.

Asian barbets are members of the Megalaimidae family and are small, colourful birds that are frequently found in forests and other green patches. They are mainly divided into two subfamilies; Psilopogon and the Caloramphus. India is home to nine barbet species, all of which belong to the Psilopogon subfamily. From a conservation point of view, these solitary, fruit-eating birds are not threatened and have stable populations in the country. Barbets play a vital role in seed dispersal. While figs are their preferred fruits, they are also known to feed on other berries and wild fruits. Barbets regurgitate seeds and indigestible parts of the fruit, enabling forests to flourish and grow.

A recent first-of-its-kind study by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) showed that the seed dispersal mechanisms of small fruit-eating birds like barbets had a significant impact on both fragments and vast forest areas. The study highlighted the importance of these forest segments in protecting wildlife biodiversity. As more and more forests are converted into land for agriculture and various developmental projects, it will only be a matter of time before we start seeing the impacts on stable bird populations like the barbets. Beyond deforestation, a report by BirdLife International also showed that barbets are among the victims of illegal wild bird trade.

With their bright colours and distinct calls, barbets teach us the importance of preserving our green spaces and protecting our biodiversity.

White-cheeked Barbet/ Small Green Barbet

The White-cheeked Barbet or Small Green Barbet (Psilopogon viridis) is a species of Asian barbet found only in southern India. It is very similar to the more widespread Brown-headed Barbet (or Large Green Barbet, Psilopogon zeylanicus), but this species has a distinctive supercilium and a broad white cheek stripe below the eye and is found in the forest areas of the Western Ghats, parts of the Eastern Ghats and adjoining hills. The Brown-headed Barbet has an orange eye-ring but the calls are very similar and the two species occur together in some of the drier forests to the east of the Western Ghats. Like all other Asian barbets, they are mainly frugivorous (although they may sometimes eat insects), and use their bills to excavate nest cavities in trees as you can see in the photo above.

Bucco viridis was the scientific name proposed by Pieter Boddaert in 1783 for a green barbet that had been described by Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon in 1780 based on a specimen collected in India. It was illustrated by François-Nicolas Martinet in a hand-coloured plate. It was placed in the genus Megalaima proposed by George Robert Gray in 1842 who suggested to use this name instead of Bucco. Its type locality is Mahé, Puducherry in southwestern India. It is a monotypic species.

In 2004, molecular phylogenetic research of barbets revealed that the Megalaima species form a clade, which also includes the Fire-tufted Barbet, the only species placed in the genus Psilopogon at the time. Asian barbets were therefore reclassified under the genus Psilopogon.

Read more about the Barbets I have photographed.

Continuing on - results of a phylogenetic study of Asian barbets published in 2013 indicate that the White-cheeked Barbet is most closely related to the Yellow-fronted Barbet (P. flavifrons), which is endemic to Sri Lanka. The relationship of the white-cheeked barbet with some close relatives in its taxon is listed below.

Green-eared barbet Psilopogon faiostrictus

Lineated barbet Psilopogon lineatus

Brown-headed barbet Psilopogon zeylanicus

White-cheeked barbet Psilopogon viridis

Yellow-fronted barbet Psilopogon flavifrons

The white-cheeked barbet is 16.5–18.5 cm (6.5–7.3 in) in length. It has a brownish head streaked with white, sometimes giving it a capped appearance. The bill is pale pink. Size varies from the larger northern birds to the southern ones. Like many other Asian barbets, white-cheeked barbets are green, sit still, and perch upright, making them difficult to spot. During the breeding season which begins at the start of summer their calls become loud and constant especially in the mornings. The call, a monotonous Kot-roo...Kotroo... starting with an explosive trrr is not easily differentiated from that of the brown-headed barbet. During hot afternoons, they may also utter a single note wut not unlike the call of collared scops owl or coppersmith barbet. Other harsh calls are produced during aggressive encounters.

The main range is along the Western Ghats south from the Surat Dangs and along the associated hills of southern India into parts of the southern Eastern Ghats mainly in the Shevaroy and Chitteri Hills. In some areas such as in the city of Bangalore, it has been suggested that this species may have displaced the brown-headed barbet which was once said to occur there.

These barbets are arboreal and will rarely visit the ground. They obtain most of the water they need from their fruit diet. When water is available in a tree hole, they will sometimes drink and bathe. These birds are mostly frugivorous, but will take winged termites & other insects opportunistically. They feed on the fruits of various Ficus species including Ficus benjamina (Weeping Fig) and Ficus mysorensis (Mysore Fig), and introduced fruit trees such as Muntingia calabura commonly known as the Singapore Cherry. When foraging they are quite aggressive and will attempt to chase other barbets, koels and other frugivores.

These barbets play an important role in forests as seed dispersal agents. They also visit the flowers of Bombax for nectar and may be involved in pollination. Their fruit eating makes them a minor nuisance in fruit orchards although they are noted to have a beneficial effect in coffee plantations. A species of tick in the genus Haemaphysalis is known to be specific in its parasitic association with this species and some species of Leucocytozoon are known to be blood parasites. Some species of Haemaphysalis are known to carry the virus responsible for the Kyasanur forest disease. Shikras have been recorded preying on adults.

White-cheeked Barbets breed from December to June, and they excavate nests in tree branches. They feed on wild as well as cultivated fruits and are known to cause damage to orchards and fruit plantations. Apart from fruits, they occasionally feed on insects. They are believed to form a pair bond that lasts for longer than a single breeding season. Calling is intense during the courtship period. Courtship feeding of the female by the male is usual prior to copulation. Calling intensity drops after the hatching of the eggs. The nest hole is usually made in dead branches. These barbets are aggressive towards smaller hole-nesters such as the Malabar barbet, sometimes destroying their nests by pecking at the entrance. Both sexes excavate the nest and it can take about 20 days to complete the nest. Eggs are laid about 3–5 days after nest excavation. About 3 eggs are laid. The incubation period is 14 to 15 days. During the day both sexes incubate, but at night, only the female sits on the eggs. The pair will defend their nests from palm squirrels which sometimes prey on the eggs - I saw this behaviour as I was waiting for this Barbet. Chicks are fed an insect rich diet. The young leave the nest after 36 to 38 days.

These birds are primary cavity nesters, chiseling out the trunk or a vertical branch of tree with a round entry hole. They breed from December to July, sometimes raising two broods. Favoured nest trees in urban areas include gulmohur (Delonix regia) & African tulip (Spathodea campanulata). These nest holes may also be used as roosts. They may reuse the same nest tree each year but often excavate a new entrance hole - I saw three separate holes one above the other in the tree I photographed this barbet at and at different times I saw the male going into the other holes too but it was clear that they preferred the bottom most hole as it was the least easily accessible for predators like the palm squirrels. I also noticed the barbet warding of a couple of red-vented bulbuls who almost went into the nest.

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