Malabar Barbet is an Indian bird and this bird that bears a scientific name "Megalaima malabarica" often overlaps in some places with the range of coppersmith barbet (Megalaima haemacephala).

Concentration of Malabar Barbet
Malabar Barbet "Megalaima malabarica" is a small barbet found in the Western Ghats Mountain Range of India. It was formerly treated as a race of the Crimson-Fronted Barbet. It overlaps in some places with the range of the coppersmith barbet (Megalaima haemacephala)

Distribution Area of Malabar Barbet
Malabar Barbet is found in the Western Ghats Mountain Range in India from around Goa south to southern Kerala in moist evergreen forest mainly below 1200 m elevation. They are also found in coffee estates. They often visit fruiting Ficus species, joining flocks of green pigeon and mynas

Breeding Season of Malabar Barbet
Malabar Barbets are usually seen in pairs during the breeding season but are gregarious in the non-breeding season. In flight, their straight and rapid flight can resemble that of lorikeets. The breeding season is mainly February-March prior to the rains.

Nestling of Malabar Barbet
The nest hole of Malabar Barbet is excavated on the underside of thin branches. It takes about 18 days to excavate the nest. These nest holes are often destroyed by larger barbets that may attempt to enlarge the hole. A nest is made each year. Multiple holes may be made and any extra hole that may be used for roosting. Two eggs are laid in a clutch. They are incubated for 14 to 15 days. Eggs may be preyed upon by palm squirrels and they are usually chased away by the adult birds. Unhatched eggs are removed by the parents. For the first week the chicks are fed insects after which they are fed fruits. The chicks fledge in about 35 days.

Feeding of Malabar Barbet
Malabar Barbet Feeds mainly on fruits but sometimes takes grubs, termites (flycatching at emerging swarms of alates), ants and small caterpillars. In Kerala, the fruiting trees were limited mainly to Ficus species, especially Ficus retusa, Ficus gibbosa and Ficus tsiela. When feeding on small fruits, they tend to perch and peck rather than to swallow the fruit whole. In the non-breeding season, they join mixed-species foraging flocks.