Megalaima zeylanica zeylanica is a subspecies of the brown-headed barbet (Megalaima zeylanica) found in South India and Sri Lanka. It is the largest Asian barbet species on the island and is distinguishable by its brown head, green plumage, and orange-yellow orbital ring. Strictly arboreal, these birds live in pairs across the country, from the lowlands to the hills, and are absent only in the highest mountain ranges. They feed on a wide variety of fruits and use their stout beaks to excavate nests in tree trunks, where they lay clutches of three to four eggs.