Blue-throated Barbet (Psilopogon asiaticus) [XC416490]
by Ian Hearn from Chiang Mai, Amphoe Mueang Chiang Mai, Chang Wat Chiang Mai, India (call)
Blue-throated Barbet (Psilopogon asiaticus) [XC388243]
by Marc Anderson from Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary, India (call, song)
Subspecies
Closely related to Moustached Barbet (Psilopogon incognitus), and a mixed pair reported in the wild, while subspecies chersonesus somewhat intermediate between the two species. Also related to Golden-throated Barbet (Psilopogon franklinii) and Black-browed Barbet (Psilopogon oorti). Has in past been thought to form a superspecies with Mountain Barbet (Psilopogon monticola), and was sometimes even considered conspecific, but morphological differences seem sufficient to warrant separate species status. Form described as subspecies "rubescens" from southern Assam and north-western Myanmar is a morph of nominate asiatica; laurentii, described from Yunnan, is a synonym of davisoni.
The following 3 subspecies are recognised:
asiaticus (Latham, 1790) - North-eastern Pakistan eastern along Himalayas to northern Myanmar and southern China (western Yunnan), south to Bangladesh and central Myanmar.
davisoni (Hume, 1877) - South-eastern Myanmar east to southern Yunnan and northern and central Vietnam.
chersonesus (Kloss and Chasen, 1927) - Eastern peninsular Thailand. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Turquoise-throated Barbet (Psilopogon chersonesus).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet