The Himalayas, is a mountain range which separates the Great Indian Plains from the Tibetan Plateau. This range is home to nine of the ten highest peaks on the Earth, including the highest, Mount Everest. The abrupt rise of the Himalayan Mountains from less than 500 meters to more than 8,000 meters in a few hundred kilometers has resulted in a huge diversity of flora and fauna. Nearly 1000 birds have been recorded in the Himalayas of which 15 species are fully endemic.

The great barbet (Megalaima virens) is an Asian barbel. Barbels are a group of near passerine birds with a worldwide tropical distribution. They get their name from the bristles which fringe their heavy bills. The great barbel is a resident breeder in the lower-to-middle attitudes of (he Himalayas, ranging across northern India, Nepal and Bhutan, and some parts of Southeast Asia as far away as Laos. It is a species of broadleaf evergreen woodlands at 600- 2,565 m attitude, it nests in a tree hole. This is the largest barbet at 31-33 cm (12-13 in) in length and e weight of 192-295 g.

IUCN Status: Least Concern (LC) Photo: Dr. Eash Hoskote