Barbets, Woodpeckers and Trogans

Featured species include Asian barbets (Megalaimidae), woodpeckers (Picidae) together with the trogons (Trogonidae), see Taxonomy note below. The gallery displays barbets, woodpeckers and trogans photographed in a forest, woodland, and garden habitat.

Barbets, Woodpeckers and Trogans

Red-crowned Barbet (Psilopogon rafflesii) perched with prey at Central Catchment Nature Reserve in Singapore

Lineated Barbet (Psilopogon lineatus hodgsoni) perched in a tree at Toh Yi Dr in Singapore

Coppersmith Barbet (Psilopogon haemacephalus indicus) perched in a tree at Singapore's Chinese Garden — Coppersmith Barbet (Psilopogon haemacephalus indicus) perched in a tree at Singapore’s Chinese Garden

Banded Woodpecker (Chrysophlegma miniaceum) male foraging on a tree at Singapore Botanic Gardens

Laced Woodpecker (Picus vittatus) male perched in a tree at Pasir Ris Park in Singapore

Laced Woodpecker (Picus vittatus) female perched in a tree at Pasir Ris Park in Singapore

Common Flameback Woodpecker (Dinopium javanense) male foraging in Singapore's Japanese Garden — Common Flameback Woodpecker (Dinopium javanense) male foraging in Singapore’s Japanese Garden

Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker (Picoides moluccensis) female foraging on a tree trunk in Singapore's Chinese Garden — Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker (Picoides moluccensis) female foraging a on tree trunk in Singapore’s Chinese Garden

Great Spotted Woodpecker [Eurasian] (Dendrocopos major pinetorum) female in a Hampshire Garden

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker [Eurasian] (Dryobates minor comminutus) male in a Hampshire Garden

Rufous Woodpecker (Micropternus brachyurus) foraging on a tree trunk at Bidadari Cemetery Woodland in Singapore

Crimson-crested Woodpecker (Campephilus melanoleucos) foraging at Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad

Guianan Trogon [Violaceous] (Trogon violaceus) male perched in a tree at Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad

Barbet, Woodpecker and Trogan Notes

Except for the Red-crowned Barbet, which is ‘Red List 2019’ assessed as ‘Near Threatened’, all other species are ‘Red List’ assessed as ‘Least Concern’. Asian barbets require forest and wooded habitats, especially where there is dead wood in branches for nesting and roosting. The perched Coppersmith and Lineated Barbets were near their nesting holes. The Red-crowned Barbet was foraging at the edge of secondary forest.

Woodpeckers are global birds, although absent from Australasia. Their primary habitat is forest and woodland including lightly wooded areas, such as parks in urban areas, and rural gardens.

Trogons are pantropical, except for Australasia. One New World species, the violaceus trogon [Guianan trogon], features in the gallery.

Barbet, Woodpecker and Trogan Taxonomy

Barbet, Woodpecker and Trogan include orders Trogoniformes (Trogons) and Piciformes (Barbets and Woodpeckers) both placed in superorder Picimorphae, part of the Afroaves clade. Piciformes featured two families, the Megalaimidae (Asian Barbets) and Picidae (Woodpeckers). I include a single image of a Trogonidae (Trogon) species.