Coppersmith@work

I was under an old durian tree when  i heard a soft knocking sound. Looking up and thinking it should be a woodpecker, i was surprised to see a coppersmith barbet excavating a hole in the durian tree.

Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala)

Looks like the males are the ones making the nest while the females lay the eggs. This bird was not calling but was actually panting - probably exhausted or lack of oxygen in the hole.

After returning to the durian tree two hours later the bird was still seen busy with his 'work' but it was no longer around the tree the following morning. The inner tree trunk was probably too hard and thick to excavate.