A spotted black-and-white bird, with a yellow patch on the forehead. The cock has in addition a short red crest. There is also a patch of red on the abdomen.
Not found in Eastern Bengal and Assam.
[111]. Brachypternus aurantius: The Golden-backed Woodpecker. (F. 986), (J. 180), (+III.)
Bright crimson crest. Top of head black. Sides of head white, with a number of black lines and streaks. Upper back golden yellow. Lower back and tail black. Wings black and golden yellow, with some white spots. It has a loud screaming call, which it constantly utters.
Not found in Assam. Common in all other parts of India. (Illus. F. III., p. 14; also B. C., p. 65.)
[112]. Iynx torquilla: The Common Wryneck. (F. 1003), (J. 188), (+I.)
An inconspicuous grey-brownish bird, streaked, speckled, and mottled all over its plumage. In some respects its habits are those of the woodpecker, but it rarely if ever climbs high up a tree, it is usually seen picking insects off a tree stump or a mound. It has a peculiar habit of twisting its head round, hence its name.
It is a winter visitor to the plains of India, but can scarcely be called a common bird.
The Barbets, 113 and 114
Barbets are tree-haunting birds with thick bills. They have loud monotonous calls of two or three notes, which they repeat eternally. They nest in holes in trees, which they excavate with their thick stout bills, in woodpecker fashion. The entrance to the nest is a perfectly circular hole, like that leading to a woodpecker’s nest, but considerably smaller. Barbets, when calling, move the head, so that it is not easy to locate the bird from its call.