Feathery Friend!
The large green barbet or brown-headed barbet (Megalaima zeylanica) is an Asian barbet. Here is a close-up of the wing feathers of a juvenile bird. He had fallen down on the ground and was lying on his back, possibly after an attack by a raptor (there were black kites and shikras all around).
I had rescued this terribly frightened and shivering bird, reassured him and kept him warm the whole night. Not to mention his tight grip that had poked into the skin of my palm and fingers when he was perched on my hand. This little fellow was comfortably sleeping in my palms and then in the make-shift nest that I made using the tissue box. In the room, checked his feathers and legs, in fact, the whole body and realized that there was no injuries or damages caused owing to the fall. However, he was in a state of shock.
After some research, I realized that this is an arboreal (tree-dwelling) bird, which almost never ventures to land. So, he is not comfortable to walk on land or other flat surfaces. However, he was happy to hop around, especially between my two hands by gripping tightly on my fingers and the tissue paper roll or towel folds, which offered his talons good griping surfaces.
In its company, I could realize the strength of its grip, which keeps these birds steady and fast on the branches and do not allow them to fall even when they are asleep. This little one slept the whole night without any disturbance, nor disturbing me. After all, these are exclusively diurnal (day-timers) birds, which use night to just sleep in a safe spot up in some tree.
Once the sun was up next day, I could listen There were many shrill barbet chirps all around. This fellow ignored them, as he was warm in his new nest (tissue box with tissues) and half-opened his eyes. I gently preened its feathers and made it feel cozy. Cleaned up after him to ensure that his guano does not invite unnecessary pests. This photo was shot after the preening session.
I was not sure of his food due to lack of knowledge of his age. It is interesting that barbet chicks are insectivorous and thus survive on insect meals; while adults are frugivorous and so eat ficus fruits and berries. Though he did not look like a chick (lack of the distinct coloration in mouth junction, where beaks join), thought of giving him both insects and fruits. Collected few fruit berries and farm-fresh insects (killed right then) and placed it in his box in the morning, should he feel hungry for breakfast after the ordeal of the past evening. However, he was more keen to sleep through the cool morning, rather than going for his meal.
Once he was trying to hop and being chirpy around noon, returned him to Nature and placed him on a branch of a tree. Fortunately, the little one happily hopped around and ventured off to live another day. The good thing is that throughout the companionship, my feathered friend never tried to peck me or claw me. Miss you and wish you are safe and sound with the company of other birds.
Feathery Friend!
The large green barbet or brown-headed barbet (Megalaima zeylanica) is an Asian barbet. Here is a close-up of the wing feathers of a juvenile bird. He had fallen down on the ground and was lying on his back, possibly after an attack by a raptor (there were black kites and shikras all around).
I had rescued this terribly frightened and shivering bird, reassured him and kept him warm the whole night. Not to mention his tight grip that had poked into the skin of my palm and fingers when he was perched on my hand. This little fellow was comfortably sleeping in my palms and then in the make-shift nest that I made using the tissue box. In the room, checked his feathers and legs, in fact, the whole body and realized that there was no injuries or damages caused owing to the fall. However, he was in a state of shock.
After some research, I realized that this is an arboreal (tree-dwelling) bird, which almost never ventures to land. So, he is not comfortable to walk on land or other flat surfaces. However, he was happy to hop around, especially between my two hands by gripping tightly on my fingers and the tissue paper roll or towel folds, which offered his talons good griping surfaces.
In its company, I could realize the strength of its grip, which keeps these birds steady and fast on the branches and do not allow them to fall even when they are asleep. This little one slept the whole night without any disturbance, nor disturbing me. After all, these are exclusively diurnal (day-timers) birds, which use night to just sleep in a safe spot up in some tree.
Once the sun was up next day, I could listen There were many shrill barbet chirps all around. This fellow ignored them, as he was warm in his new nest (tissue box with tissues) and half-opened his eyes. I gently preened its feathers and made it feel cozy. Cleaned up after him to ensure that his guano does not invite unnecessary pests. This photo was shot after the preening session.
I was not sure of his food due to lack of knowledge of his age. It is interesting that barbet chicks are insectivorous and thus survive on insect meals; while adults are frugivorous and so eat ficus fruits and berries. Though he did not look like a chick (lack of the distinct coloration in mouth junction, where beaks join), thought of giving him both insects and fruits. Collected few fruit berries and farm-fresh insects (killed right then) and placed it in his box in the morning, should he feel hungry for breakfast after the ordeal of the past evening. However, he was more keen to sleep through the cool morning, rather than going for his meal.
Once he was trying to hop and being chirpy around noon, returned him to Nature and placed him on a branch of a tree. Fortunately, the little one happily hopped around and ventured off to live another day. The good thing is that throughout the companionship, my feathered friend never tried to peck me or claw me. Miss you and wish you are safe and sound with the company of other birds.