ABOVE: Golden-faced Barbet (Gold Whiskered Barbet) Megalaima chrysopis, Borneo’s largest barbet, a Borneo endemic.

Of the 9 species of barbet found in Borneo, 5 species have been photographed feeding on fruiting figs next to the Belalong Canopy Walkway by Hans Hazebroek.

Barbets are more or less fig eating specialists and obviously partition the figs they feed on by the size of their bills i.e. the barbets with the largest bills obviously specialise on the largest figs and vice versa.

All the barbets photographed below were feeding on Ficus binnendijkii figs in September 2018.  Ficus binnendijkii has relatively small fruit  up to 1 cm  diameter when ripe yet the  barbets that fed on the F. binnendijkii figs ranged from Borneo’s largest barbet the Golden Faced Barbet (Gold Whiskered  Barbet) 30 cm to  one of the smallest, the Blue-eared Barbet (16 cm).

See also Hans Hazebroek’s  February 2018 photo of Red-throated Barbet  Megalaima mystacophanos  feeding on Ficus subgelderi figs

060 HH Yellow-crowned Barbet Ficus binendijkii BCW - Copy.jpg
Yellow-crowned Barbet Megalaima henricii.  This is probably the most specialist barbet rarely found away from fruiting figs.
04 Brown Barbet HH Ficus binendijkii BCW - Copy.jpg
Bornean Brown Barbet Calorhamphus fuliginosus. A Bornean endemic often seen in small flocks foraging for insects but also often seen in fig trees.
05 Blue-eared Barbet female HH Ficus binendijkii BCW - Copy.jpg
Blue-eared Barbet Megalaima australis. Borneo’s most common barbet found in both in deep forest and on the edge of towns especially where there are fig trees.

01 HH Ficus binendijkii BCW - Copy.jpg

02 HH Ficus binendijkii BCW - Copy.jpg
Ficus binnendijkii figs ripen yellow to orange. 
01 IMG_0316 - Ficus binnendijki BCW Copy - Copy
Ficus binnendijkii grows  right next to the canopy walkway. This photo was taken from the tower at the far end of the canopy walkway looking back towards the  path end. 

 

Ficus binnendijkii: Belalong Canopy Walkway

Temburong, Brunei MAP