I can satisfactorily name it as a day with the Coppersmith Barbets. Sometime back, was lucky enough to witness the activities of a Coppersmith Barbet couple in their natural habitat. Sharing few images below.
I heard the call from inside the room where I was staying with my friend. Coppersmith Barbets are easily identifiable by their call – sounds similar to a coppersmith striking metal with a hammer – tuk tuk tuk. When I secretly looked outside, I could locate one of the birds with food in its mouth. I knew there was a nest nearby and the bird helped me locate it when it flew back to its nest in a nearby tree trunk. Here I could spot the other bird inside the hole.
I took the images from inside the room, through the vertical gap between the almost closed wooden shutters of the window so as not to disturb the birds by any means.
From these images it is evident that both partner birds build the nest together and the nest is in the hole of a tree trunk.
Location: Birubari, Guwahati, Assam.
Coppersmith Barbets are the most widespread barbet across India.
Size: 17cm
Names in local Indian languages:
हिंदी – छोटा बसंत, टुकटुकिया
বাংলা – বসন্তবৌরি (সেঁকড়া-বসন্ত)
मराठी – तांबट