The White-cheeked Barbet (Psilopogon viridis) is a common sight and sound in Bengaluru, often heard before it's seen, thanks to its distinctive "Kot-roo, Kot-roo" call. When it comes to feeding its young, these highly specialised birds demonstrate remarkable parental dedication within their unique nesting environment.
White-cheeked Barbets are primary cavity nesters, meaning they excavate their own nest holes. Both the male and female work tirelessly, using their stout, strong beaks to chisel out a round entrance hole in a dead tree trunk or vertical branch. This process can take around 20 days. The nest is a simple, unlined cavity inside the wood, offering protection from predators and the elements. They typically lay about 3 eggs.
Once the helpless chicks hatch after an incubation period of 14-15 days, the demanding task of feeding begins. While adult White-cheeked Barbets are primarily frugivorous, consuming a wide variety of figs and other fruits, their diet shifts significantly when feeding young. Nestlings require a high-protein diet for rapid growth, so the parents primarily bring insects and other invertebrates to the nest. This opportunistic insect consumption ensures the chicks receive vital nutrients for muscle and feather development. Both parents participate equally in foraging and feeding the young. They make frequent trips to the nest hole, carefully entering to deliver the food to the hungry, begging chicks.
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