Coppersmith Barbet – The Fruit-giver ~ by a j mithra

The Coppersmith Barbet or Crimson-breasted Barbet or Coppersmith (Megalaima haemacephala) is a bird with crimson forehead and throat which is best known for its metronomic call that has been likened to a coppersmith striking metal with a hammer.

It is a resident found in South Asia and parts of Southeast Asia. Throughout their wide range they are found in gardens, groves and sparse woodland. Habitats with trees having dead wood suitable for excavation is said to be important but these birds nest and roost in cavities too. In the Palni Hills of southern India it is said to occur below 4000 feet. In the Himalayas it is found mainly in the valleys of the outer Himalayas up to 3000 feet. They are rare in the dry desert zones and the very wet forests.

Keeps solitary, pairs, or small groups; larger parties occasionally on abundantly fruiting Ficus trees.

Fond of sunning themselves in the morning on bare top branches of tall trees, often flitting about to sit next to each other.

• These birds are fond of sun and they never miss sitting in the sun every morning at an appointed time…
• We know that His grace is new every morning….
• But do we have an appointed time with the Sun of Righteousness each morning?

…..and those that seek me early shall find me.” Proverbs 8:17

The flight is straight, with rapid flaps. They compete with other cavity nesting birds and frugivores.

Megalaima asiatica have been noted to evict them from their nest holes, while Red-vented Bullbuls have been seen to indulge in Kleptoparasitism robbing the male of berries brought to the female at the nest.

• The devil is out there to steal our fruit, to bring division between God and man…
• Let us stand firm in prayer and praise to ward of the devil’s plan in our lives..
• Prayer brings protection and praise brings the Protector Himself…

Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. Mark 13:33

The nest holes are also used for roosting and some birds roost alone in cavities and these often roost during part of the day. Immatures will roost with the parents but often return to roost early so as not to be prevented by the parents from entering the roost cavity.

The younger ones often return early, so that their parents do not prevent them from entering their home..

Here is something for the younger generation to learn from these birds…

• Returning home late has become a practice for the nex-gen…
• They do not understand how worried their parents would be, if they don’t return early from school or college or even work for that matter…
• They never seem to realize how dangerous it is to stay away late from home…

As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place. Proverbs 27:8

Dinah went out all alone from her house to see the land but, what happened later, brought shame to her whole family… That story is told in Genesis chapter 34..

Most youngsters go late night outing with friends after work and some even after school or college without the knowledge of their parents..

• It is during one of these outing that they get into drugs and fall into pre-marital sex and even commit murder..
• Poor parents think, that their children are so innocent..
• Parents too are to be held responsible…
• How many parents spend quality time with their children…

Remember, children are a gift from God…

• Are we handling those gifts with love and care..
• They don’t need your money, all that they need is your loving care dear parents..
• Most crime takes place in the dark, so let us protect our children from darkness and lead them to eternal life…

The Bible also says,

Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens. Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening. Psalm 104:19-23

The call is a loud rather metallic tuk…tuk…tuk (or tunk), reminiscent of a copper sheet being beaten, giving the bird its name. Repeated monotonously for long periods, starting with a subdued tuk and building up to an even volume and tempo, the latter varying from 108 to 121 per minute and can continue with as many as 204 notes. They are silent and do not call in winter. The beak remains shut during each call – a patch of bare skin on both sides of the throat inflates and collapses with each tuk like a rubber bulb and the head is bobbed.

Prefers Banyan, Peepul, and other wild figs, various drupes and berries, and the occasional insect, caught in aerial sallies. Petals of flowers may also be included in their diet. They eat nearly 1.5 to nearly 3 times their body weight in berries each day.

Courtship involves singing, puffing of the throat, bobbing of the head, flicking of the tail, ritual feeding and allopreening. They breed through much of the year with local variation. The breeding season is mainly February to April in India and December to September in Sri Lanka.

Both sexes excavate the nest on the underside of a narrow horizontal branch. They may also roost inside the nest holes. Three or four eggs are laid and like in many hole nesting birds the incubation period is not well known but has been estimated to be about 2 weeks. Both sexes incubate. Often two broods are raised in quick succession.

During courtship the male bird offers a fruit and if the female receives it, they raise a family..

Imagine if the same rule is set for us, how many of us God would accept as His bride?

Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. Mathew 21:43

Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. Luke 3:8

Have a blessed day!

Your’s in YESHUA,
a j mithra

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Lee’s Addition:

The Coppersmith Barbet is in the Asian Barbets – Megalimidae Family of the Piciformes Order.

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