Bulbul
Encyclopedia
Bulbuls are a family
, Pycnonotidae, of medium-sized passerine songbird
s. Many forest species are known as greenbul
s. The family is distributed across most of Africa
and into the Middle East
, tropical Asia
to Indonesia
, and north as far as Japan
. A few insular species occur on the tropical islands of the Indian Ocean
There are about 130 species in around 24 genera
. While some species are found in most habitats, overall African species are predominately found in rainforest
whilst rainforest species are rare in Asia, instead preferring more open areas.
The only Bulbul which occurs in Europe was spotted in the Cyclades
and bears a yellow patch, being otherwise of a snuffy brown and this is possibly the bird which has got mixed up with the nightingale
in Sufi, particularly Persian Sufi, poetry.
is slightly elongated and slightly hooked at the end. They vary in length from 13 cm for the Tiny Greenbul
to 29 cm in the Straw-headed Bulbul
. Overall the sexes are alike, although the females tend to be slightly smaller. In a few species the differences are so great that they have been described as functionally different species. The soft plumage
of some species is colourful with yellow, red or orange vents, cheeks, throat or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive brown to black plumage. Species with dull coloured eyes often sport contrasting eyerings. Some have very distinct crests. Bulbuls are highly vocal, with the calls of most species being described as nasal or gravelly. One author described the song of the Brown-eared Bulbul
as "the most unattractive noises made by any bird".
Bulbuls eat a wide range of different foods, ranging from fruit to seeds, nectar, small insects and other arthropods and even small vertebrates. The majority of species are frugivorous and supplement their diet with some insects, whilst there is a significant minority of specialists, particularly in Africa. Open country species in particular are generalists. Bulbuls in the genus Criniger
and bristlebills in the genus Bleda
will join mixed-species feeding flock
s.
The bulbuls are generally monogamous
. One unusual exception is the Yellow-whiskered Greenbul
which at least over part of its range appears to be polygamous and engage in a lekking system. Some species also have alloparenting
arrangements, where non-breeders, usually the young from earlier clutches, help raise the young of a dominant breeding pair. Up to five purple-pink eggs are laid in an open tree nests and incubated
by the female. Incubation usually lasts between 11–14 days , and chicks fledge
after 12–16 days.
s and Red-vented Bulbul
s have been captured for the pet trade in great numbers and, has been widely introduced to tropical and subtropical areas, for example southern Florida
, Fiji
, Australia
and Hawaii
. Some species are regarded as crop pests, particularly in orchards.
In general bulbuls and greenbuls are resistant to human pressures on the environment and are tolerant of disturbed habitat. Around 13 species are considered threatened by human activities, mostly specialised forest species threatened by habitat loss.
بلبل bolbol, meaning nightingale
.
Comparison of mtDNA cytochrome b
sequence
s found that five species of Phyllastrephus did not belong to the bulbuls, but to an enigmatic group of songbirds from Madagascar
instead (Cibois et al., 2001; see below for the species in question). Similarly, sequence analysis of the nDNA RAG1 and RAG2 genes suggests that the genus Nicator
is not a bulbul either (Beresford et al., 2005). That the previous arrangement had failed to take into account biogeography
was indicated by the study of Pasquet et al. (2001) who demonstrated the genus Criniger must be divided into an African and an Asian (Alophoixus) lineage. Using analysis of one nDNA and 2 mtDNA sequences, Moyle & Marks (2006) found one largely Asian lineage and one African group of greenbul
s and bristlebill
s; the Golden Greenbul
seemes to be very distinct and form a group of its own. Some taxa are not monophyletic, and more research is necessary to determine relationships within the larger genera.
Typical bulbuls
Typical greenbul
s and allies
Incertae sedis
This might be allied to Calyptocichla or not be a bulbul at all.
Now in Malagasy warbler
s
Incertae sedis
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
, Pycnonotidae, of medium-sized passerine songbird
Songbird
A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds . Another name that is sometimes seen as scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin oscen, "a songbird"...
s. Many forest species are known as greenbul
Greenbul
The greenbuls and bristlebills are a group of birds within the bulbul family Pycnonotidae, found only within Africa. They are all largely drab olive-green above, and paler below, with few distinguishing features....
s. The family is distributed across most of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and into the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, tropical Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
to Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, and north as far as Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. A few insular species occur on the tropical islands of the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
There are about 130 species in around 24 genera
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
. While some species are found in most habitats, overall African species are predominately found in rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
whilst rainforest species are rare in Asia, instead preferring more open areas.
The only Bulbul which occurs in Europe was spotted in the Cyclades
Cyclades
The Cyclades is a Greek island group in the Aegean Sea, south-east of the mainland of Greece; and a former administrative prefecture of Greece. They are one of the island groups which constitute the Aegean archipelago. The name refers to the islands around the sacred island of Delos...
and bears a yellow patch, being otherwise of a snuffy brown and this is possibly the bird which has got mixed up with the nightingale
Nightingale
The Nightingale , also known as Rufous and Common Nightingale, is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae...
in Sufi, particularly Persian Sufi, poetry.
Description
Bulbuls are short-necked slender passerines. The tails are long and the wings short and rounded. In almost all species the billBeak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
is slightly elongated and slightly hooked at the end. They vary in length from 13 cm for the Tiny Greenbul
Tiny Greenbul
The Lowlad Tiny Greenbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe....
to 29 cm in the Straw-headed Bulbul
Straw-headed Bulbul
The Straw-headed Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma, Thailand and Singapore. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical mangrove forests, subtropical or tropical moist...
. Overall the sexes are alike, although the females tend to be slightly smaller. In a few species the differences are so great that they have been described as functionally different species. The soft plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
of some species is colourful with yellow, red or orange vents, cheeks, throat or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive brown to black plumage. Species with dull coloured eyes often sport contrasting eyerings. Some have very distinct crests. Bulbuls are highly vocal, with the calls of most species being described as nasal or gravelly. One author described the song of the Brown-eared Bulbul
Brown-eared Bulbul
The Brown-eared Bulbul is a medium-sized bulbul which is found from the Russian Far East , northeastern China, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan, south to Taiwan and the Babuyan and Batanes island chains in the north of the Philippines, occasionally being found in Luzon...
as "the most unattractive noises made by any bird".
Bulbuls eat a wide range of different foods, ranging from fruit to seeds, nectar, small insects and other arthropods and even small vertebrates. The majority of species are frugivorous and supplement their diet with some insects, whilst there is a significant minority of specialists, particularly in Africa. Open country species in particular are generalists. Bulbuls in the genus Criniger
Criniger
Criniger is a genus of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It contains the following species:*Bearded Bulbul *Red-tailed Bulbul *Green-backed Bulbul...
and bristlebills in the genus Bleda
Bleda
Bleda was a Hun ruler, the brother of Attila the Hun.As nephews to Rugila, Attila and his elder brother Bleda succeeded him to the throne. His reign lasted for eleven years until his death. While it has been speculated throughout history that Attila murdered him on a hunting trip, no one knows...
will join mixed-species feeding flock
Mixed-species feeding flock
A mixed-species feeding flock, also termed a mixed-species foraging flock, mixed hunting party or informally bird wave, is a flock of usually insectivorous birds of different species, that join each other and move together while foraging...
s.
The bulbuls are generally monogamous
Monogamy
Monogamy /Gr. μονός+γάμος - one+marriage/ a form of marriage in which an individual has only one spouse at any one time. In current usage monogamy often refers to having one sexual partner irrespective of marriage or reproduction...
. One unusual exception is the Yellow-whiskered Greenbul
Yellow-whiskered Greenbul
The Yellow-whiskered Greenbul or Yellow-whiskered Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family...
which at least over part of its range appears to be polygamous and engage in a lekking system. Some species also have alloparenting
Alloparenting
In biology and sociology, alloparenting is where individuals other than the actual parents act in a parental role.One common form of alloparenting is where grandparents adopt a parental role. This is sometimes named a "skipped generation household"...
arrangements, where non-breeders, usually the young from earlier clutches, help raise the young of a dominant breeding pair. Up to five purple-pink eggs are laid in an open tree nests and incubated
Avian incubation
Incubation refers to the process by which certain oviparous animals hatch their eggs, and to the development of the embryo within the egg. The most vital factor of incubation is the constant temperature required for its development over a specific period. Especially in domestic fowl, the act of...
by the female. Incubation usually lasts between 11–14 days , and chicks fledge
Fledge
Fledge is the stage in a young bird's life when the feathers and wing muscles are sufficiently developed for flight. It also describes the act of a chick's parents raising it to a fully grown state...
after 12–16 days.
Relationship to humans
The Red-whiskered BulbulRed-whiskered Bulbul
The Red-whiskered Bulbul is a passerine bird found in Asia. It is a member of the bulbul family. It is a resident frugivore found mainly in tropical Asia. It has been introduced in many tropical areas of the world where populations have established themselves...
s and Red-vented Bulbul
Red-vented Bulbul
The Red-vented Bulbul is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is resident breeder in tropical southern Asia from India and Sri Lanka east to Burma and southwestern China. It has been introduced and has established itself in the wild in many Pacific islands including Fiji, Samoa,...
s have been captured for the pet trade in great numbers and, has been widely introduced to tropical and subtropical areas, for example southern Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. Some species are regarded as crop pests, particularly in orchards.
In general bulbuls and greenbuls are resistant to human pressures on the environment and are tolerant of disturbed habitat. Around 13 species are considered threatened by human activities, mostly specialised forest species threatened by habitat loss.
Etymology
The word bulbul derives from PersianPersian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
بلبل bolbol, meaning nightingale
Nightingale
The Nightingale , also known as Rufous and Common Nightingale, is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae...
.
Systematics
The traditional layout was to divide the bulbuls into 4 groups, named Pycnonotus, Phyllastrephus, Criniger, and Chlorocichla groups after characteristic genera (Delacour, 1943). However, more recent analyses demonstrated that this arrangement was probably based on erroneous interpretation of characters:Comparison of mtDNA cytochrome b
Cytochrome b
Cytochrome b/b6 is the main subunit of transmembrane cytochrome bc1 and b6f complexes. In addition, it commonly refers to a region of mtDNA used for population genetics and phylogenetics.- Function :...
sequence
DNA sequence
The sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...
s found that five species of Phyllastrephus did not belong to the bulbuls, but to an enigmatic group of songbirds from Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
instead (Cibois et al., 2001; see below for the species in question). Similarly, sequence analysis of the nDNA RAG1 and RAG2 genes suggests that the genus Nicator
Nicator
Nicator is a genus of songbird endemic to Africa. The genus contains three medium sized passerine birds.-Taxonomy:The systematic affinities of the genus have been a long-standing mystery. The group was originally assigned to the shrikes...
is not a bulbul either (Beresford et al., 2005). That the previous arrangement had failed to take into account biogeography
Biogeography
Biogeography is the study of the distribution of species , organisms, and ecosystems in space and through geological time. Organisms and biological communities vary in a highly regular fashion along geographic gradients of latitude, elevation, isolation and habitat area...
was indicated by the study of Pasquet et al. (2001) who demonstrated the genus Criniger must be divided into an African and an Asian (Alophoixus) lineage. Using analysis of one nDNA and 2 mtDNA sequences, Moyle & Marks (2006) found one largely Asian lineage and one African group of greenbul
Greenbul
The greenbuls and bristlebills are a group of birds within the bulbul family Pycnonotidae, found only within Africa. They are all largely drab olive-green above, and paler below, with few distinguishing features....
s and bristlebill
Bristlebill
The bristlebills are a genus of passerine birds belonging to the genus Bleda in the bulbul family Pycnonotidae. They are found in the understorey of forests in West and Central Africa. They forage for insects at or near ground-level, often near water...
s; the Golden Greenbul
Golden Greenbul
The Golden Greenbul is the only member of the Calyptocichla genus of greenbuls. It is not closely related to any of the other greenbul species, forming a separate clade from the two main clades which make up the bulbul family Pycnonotidae.-Physical description:The Golden Greenbul is brightly...
seemes to be very distinct and form a group of its own. Some taxa are not monophyletic, and more research is necessary to determine relationships within the larger genera.
Systematic list
Basal- Genus Calyptocichla
- Golden GreenbulGolden GreenbulThe Golden Greenbul is the only member of the Calyptocichla genus of greenbuls. It is not closely related to any of the other greenbul species, forming a separate clade from the two main clades which make up the bulbul family Pycnonotidae.-Physical description:The Golden Greenbul is brightly...
, Calyptocichla serina
- Golden Greenbul
Typical bulbuls
- Genus PycnonotusPycnonotusPycnonotus is a genus of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It contains the following species:* Sooty-headed Bulbul * Orange-spotted Bulbul * Streak-eared Bulbul...
(paraphyletic)- "Ancient" Asian bulbuls
- Black-headed BulbulBlack-headed BulbulThe Black-headed Bulbul is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in forests in south-east Asia. It has a mainly olive-yellow plumage with a glossy bluish-black head. A grey morph where most of the olive-yellow is replaced by grey also exists...
, Pycnonotus atriceps - Stripe-throated BulbulStripe-throated BulbulThe Stripe-throated Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in Cambodia, China, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, Thailand, and Vietnam....
, Pycnonotus finlaysoni - Red-whiskered BulbulRed-whiskered BulbulThe Red-whiskered Bulbul is a passerine bird found in Asia. It is a member of the bulbul family. It is a resident frugivore found mainly in tropical Asia. It has been introduced in many tropical areas of the world where populations have established themselves...
, Pycnonotus jocosus - Brown-breasted BulbulBrown-breasted BulbulThe Brown-breasted Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in China, Hong Kong, Laos, Burma, Thailand, and Vietnam.-References:...
, Pycnonotus xanthorrhous - Puff-backed BulbulPuff-backed BulbulThe Puff-backed Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma, Singapore, and Thailand.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests....
, Pycnonotus eutilotus - Black-and-white BulbulBlack-and-white BulbulThe Black-and-white Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand....
, Pycnonotus melanoleucus - Pycnonotus proper
- Black-crested BulbulBlack-crested BulbulThe Black-crested Bulbul, Pycnonotus melanicterus, is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in the Indian Subcontinent including in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, and eastwards in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia....
, Pycnonotus melanicterus - Grey-bellied BulbulGrey-bellied BulbulThe Grey-bellied Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma, Singapore, and Thailand.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests....
, Pycnonotus cyaniventris - Spectacled BulbulSpectacled BulbulThe Spectacled Bulbul , also known as the Lesser Brown Bulbul, is a bird in the bulbul family. It is known in Malay as Merbah Kecil. It is endemic to Southeast Asia....
, Pycnonotus erythropthalmos - Straw-headed BulbulStraw-headed BulbulThe Straw-headed Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma, Thailand and Singapore. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical mangrove forests, subtropical or tropical moist...
, Pycnonotus zeylanicus - Red-eyed BulbulRed-eyed BulbulThe Red-eyed Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma, Singapore, and Thailand.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests....
, Pycnonotus brunneus - Olive-winged BulbulOlive-winged BulbulThe Olive-winged Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam....
, Pycnonotus plumosus - Yellow-vented BulbulYellow-vented BulbulThe Yellow-vented Bulbul, Pycnonotus goiavier, is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is resident breeder in southeast Asia from southern Thailand and Cambodia south to Borneo and the Philippines....
, Pycnonotus goiavier - Black-fronted BulbulBlack-fronted BulbulThe Black-fronted Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe....
, Pycnonotus nigricans - White-cheeked Bulbul, Pycnonotus leucogenys
- Disputed
- Common BulbulCommon BulbulThe Common Bulbul is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is a ubiquitous resident breeder throughout Africa...
, Pycnonotus barbatus - Unassigned
- Striated BulbulStriated BulbulThe Striated Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Burma, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests....
, Pycnonotus striatus - Cream-striped BulbulCream-striped BulbulThe Cream-striped Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is endemic to Indonesia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes....
, Pycnonotus leucogrammicus - Spot-necked BulbulSpot-necked BulbulThe Spot-necked Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes....
, Pycnonotus tympanistrigus - Grey-headed BulbulGrey-headed BulbulThe Grey-headed Bulbul is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is endemic to the Western Ghats of south-west India, found from Goa south to Tamil Nadu, at altitudes up to 1200m. It is found in dense reeds or thickets mainly near rivers and swampy areas inside forests...
, Pycnonotus priocephalus - Styan's Bulbul, Pycnonotus taivanus
- Scaly-breasted BulbulScaly-breasted BulbulThe Scaly-breasted Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma, and Thailand.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests....
, Pycnonotus squamatus - Light-vented BulbulLight-vented BulbulThe Light-vented Bulbul , also known as the Chinese Bulbul, is a bird and a member of the bulbul family.-Description:The particular characteristic is the large white patch covering the nape and the sides of its black head...
, Pycnonotus sinensis - Cape BulbulCape BulbulThe Cape Bulbul, Pycnonotus capensis, is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is an endemic resident breeder in coastal bush, open forest, gardens and fynbos in southern South Africa. This species nests mainly in the southern spring from September to November...
, Pycnonotus capensis (type speciesType speciesIn biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
) - White-spectacled BulbulWhite-spectacled BulbulThe White-spectacled Bulbul also known as the Yellow-vented Bulbul, Pycnonotus xanthopygos, is a small bird, a bit bigger than a sparrow. It is 19–21 centimeters in length, and its wingspan is 20–25 centimeters. A stable bird that lives in fruit plantations, gardens, cities etc. It is the most...
, Pycnonotus xanthopygos - White-eared BulbulWhite-eared BulbulThe White-eared Bulbul, Pycnonotus leucotis is a member of the bulbul family. It is found in Kuwait, Bahrain, mid and southern Iraq, southern Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, north-western India, in parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and on the Arabian peninsula...
, Pycnonotus leucotis - Red-vented BulbulRed-vented BulbulThe Red-vented Bulbul is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is resident breeder in tropical southern Asia from India and Sri Lanka east to Burma and southwestern China. It has been introduced and has established itself in the wild in many Pacific islands including Fiji, Samoa,...
, Pycnonotus cafer - Sooty-headed BulbulSooty-headed BulbulThe Sooty-headed Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Burma, Thailand, and Vietnam....
, Pycnonotus aurigaster - Blue-wattled BulbulBlue-wattled BulbulThe Blue-wattled Bulbul is a disputed songbird species in the family Pycnonotidae. The specific epithet commemorates Dutch explorer Anton Willem Nieuwenhuis.It is found in Brunei and Indonesia...
, Pycnonotus nieuwenhuisii (disputed) - Yellow-wattled BulbulYellow-wattled BulbulThe Yellow-wattled Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is endemic to the Philippines.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
, Pycnonotus urostictus - Orange-spotted BulbulOrange-spotted BulbulThe Orange-spotted Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is endemic to Indonesia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes....
, Pycnonotus bimaculatus - Yellow-throated BulbulYellow-throated BulbulThe Yellow-throated Bulbul is a species of bulbul endemic to southern peninsular India. They are found on scrub habitats on steep, rocky hills many of which are threatened by granite quarrying. It is confusable only with the White-browed Bulbul with which its range overlaps but is distinctively...
, Pycnonotus xantholaemus - Yellow-eared BulbulYellow-eared BulbulThe Yellow-eared Bulbul, Pycnonotus penicillatus, is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is an endemic resident breeder in the highlands of Sri Lanka....
, Pycnonotus penicillatus - Flavescent BulbulFlavescent BulbulThe Flavescent Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family. Its name comes from flavescent, a yellowish colour. It is found in Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist...
, Pycnonotus flavescens - White-browed BulbulWhite-browed BulbulThe White-browed Bulbul is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is a resident breeder in Sri Lanka and peninsular India. Largely olive coloured above with whitish underparts, it has a pale supercilium and a yellow vent...
, Pycnonotus luteolus - Streak-eared BulbulStreak-eared BulbulThe Streak-eared Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, Thailand, and Vietnam.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests....
, Pycnonotus blanfordi - Cream-vented BulbulCream-vented BulbulThe Cream-vented Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests....
, Pycnonotus simplex - Bare-faced BulbulBare-faced BulbulThe Bare-faced Bulbul is a species of bulbul described from Laos in 2009. It is one of the very few Asian songbirds with a bald face and is the first new species of bulbul to be described from Asia in over a century....
, Pycnonotus hualon
- Genus SpizixosSpizixosSpizixos is a genus of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It contains the following species:* Crested Finchbill * Collared Finchbill...
– finchbills (2 species)- Crested FinchbillCrested FinchbillThe Crested Finchbill is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in Bangladesh, China, India, Laos, Burma, Thailand, and Vietnam.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24 July 2007....
, Spizixos canifrons - Collared FinchbillCollared FinchbillThe Collared Finchbill is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family. It is found in China, Taiwan, and Vietnam....
, Spizixos semitorques
- Crested Finchbill
- Genus Tricholestes – Hairy-backed Bulbul
- Genus Setornis – Hook-billed Bulbul
- Genus AlophoixusAlophoixusAlophoixus is a genus of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family. All the species occur in southeast Asia.It contains the following species:* Finsch's Bulbul * White-throated Bulbul...
(formerly in Criniger, possibly polyphyletic)- Finsch's BulbulFinsch's BulbulFinsch's Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand....
, Alophoixus finschii - White-throated BulbulWhite-throated BulbulThe White-throated Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Burma, Nepal, and Thailand.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests....
, Alophoixus flaveolus - Puff-throated BulbulPuff-throated BulbulThe Puff-throated Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in Cambodia, China, Laos, Burma, Thailand, and Vietnam.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
, Alophoixus pallidus - Ochraceous BulbulOchraceous BulbulThe Ochraceous Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family. It is found in Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma, Thailand, and Vietnam....
, Alophoixus ochraceus - Gray-cheeked Bulbul, Alophoixus bres
- Yellow-bellied BulbulYellow-bellied BulbulThe Yellow-bellied Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma, Singapore, and Thailand.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests....
, Alophoixus phaeocephalus - Golden BulbulGolden BulbulThe Golden Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family. It is endemic to Indonesia.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
, Alophoixus affinis
- Finsch's Bulbul
- Genus IoleIole (genus)Iole is a genus of bulbuls, songbirds in the family Pycnonotidae. They are native to tropical eastern Asia, from India to China and south through Southeast Asia to northern Indonesia.It includes the following species:* Olive Bulbul, Iole virescens...
(4 species, sometimes in Hypsipetes/Ixos)
- Genus HemixosHemixosHemixos is a songbird genus in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. Established by Edward Blyth in 1845 for the newly-discovered Ashy Bulbul Hemixos is a songbird genus in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. Established by Edward Blyth in 1845 for the newly-discovered Ashy Bulbul Hemixos is a songbird...
(2 species, sometimes in Hypsipetes/Ixos)
- Genus IxosIxosIxos is a songbird genus in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It provisionally contains the following species:* Yellowish Bulbul, Ixos everetti* Streaked Bulbul, Ixos malaccensis...
(paraphyletic, might include Hypsipetes)- Close to Hemixos
- Streaked BulbulStreaked BulbulThe Streaked Bulbul is a songbird species in the bulbul family . Depending on whether it is or isn't a particularly close relative of the type species of the genus Ixos, the Sunda Bulbul or Green-winged Bulbul , it might belong in a new genus.What is presently known is that some Ixos species are...
, Ixos malaccensis - Unassigned
- Sulphur-bellied BulbulSulphur-bellied BulbulThe Sulphur-bellied Bulbul is a songbird species in the bulbul family .It is one of the species of Ixos that might warrant inclusion in the genus Hypsipetes – as long as this is kept separate from Ixos – as it may be a close relative of the Philippine Bulbul The Sulphur-bellied Bulbul...
, Ixos palawanensis (Hypsipetes?) - Streak-breasted BulbulStreak-breasted BulbulThe Streak-breasted Bulbul or Mottle-breasted Bulbul is a songbird species in the bulbul family ....
, Ixos siquijorensis (Hypsipetes?) - Zamboanga BulbulZamboanga BulbulThe Zamboanga Bulbul is a songbird species in the bulbul family .It is one of the species of Ixos that might warrant inclusion in the genus Hypsipetes – as long as this is kept separate from Ixos – as it may be a close relative of the Philippine Bulbul The Zamboanga Bulbul (Ixos...
, Ixos rufigularis (Hypsipetes?) - Yellowish BulbulYellowish BulbulThe Yellowish Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family. The scientific name commemorates British colonial administrator and zoological collector Alfred Hart Everett.-Distribution and habitat:...
, Ixos everetti - Mountain BulbulMountain BulbulThe Mountain Bulbul is a songbird species in the bulbul family . It is often placed in Hypsipetes, but seems to be closer to the type species of the genus Ixos, the Sunda Bulbul or Green-winged Bulbul...
, Ixos mcclellandii - Sunda BulbulSunda BulbulThe Sunda Bulbul or Green-winged Bulbul is a songbird species in the bulbul family . It is the type species of the genus Ixos....
, Ixos virescens
- Genus Microscelis – Brown-eared Bulbul (sometimes in Hypsipetes/Ixos)
- Genus HypsipetesHypsipetesHypsipetes is a genus of bulbuls, songbirds in the family Pycnonotidae. Most of its species birds occur in tropical forests around the Indian Ocean. But while the genus is quite diverse in the Madagascar region at the western end of its range it does not reach the African mainland.Most Hypsipetes...
(9–10 species, might belong in Ixos)
Typical greenbul
Greenbul
The greenbuls and bristlebills are a group of birds within the bulbul family Pycnonotidae, found only within Africa. They are all largely drab olive-green above, and paler below, with few distinguishing features....
s and allies
- Genus PhyllastrephusPhyllastrephusPhyllastrephus is a songbird genus in the family Pycnonotidae . They make up the typical greenbuls, though two are named brownbuls.This genus contains the following species:* Cabanis's Greenbul, Phyllastrephus cabanisi...
(19 species) - Genus AndropadusAndropadusAndropadus is a genus of greenbuls, songbirds in the bulbul family . The genus is not thought to be monophyletic.It contains the following species:* Cameroon Greenbul or Cameroon Mountain Greenbul, Andropadus montanus...
(12 species; possibly polyphyletic) - Genus CrinigerCrinigerCriniger is a genus of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It contains the following species:*Bearded Bulbul *Red-tailed Bulbul *Green-backed Bulbul...
(5 species) - Genus Thescelocichla – Swamp Greenbul
- Genus ChlorocichlaChlorocichlaChlorocichla is a genus of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It contains the following species:* Yellow-necked Greenbul * Yellow-throated Greenbul...
(6 species) - Genus Ixonotus – Spotted Greenbul (tentatively placed here)
- Genus BaeopogonBaeopogonBaeopogon is a genus of songbird in the bulbul family Pycnonotidae. Both species are found in forest and forest edge habitats in Central Africa.It contains the following species:* Honeyguide Greenbul...
(2 species) - Genus Bleda – bristlebills (3 species)
Incertae sedis
- Genus Neolestes
- Black-collared BulbulBlack-collared BulbulThe Black-collared Bulbul is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Neolestes....
, Neolestes torquatus
- Black-collared Bulbul
This might be allied to Calyptocichla or not be a bulbul at all.
Recently split from Pycnonotidae
Malagasy warbler
The Malagasy warblers are a newly validated clade of songbirds. They were formally named Bernieridae in 2010. The family consists of ten species of small forest birds and is endemic to Madagascar....
s
- Genus Bernieria – formerly in Phyllastrephus
- Long-billed Greenbul, Bernieria madagascariensis
- Genus XanthomixisXanthomixisXanthomixis is a genus of birds in the Malagasy warbler family Bernieridae. It contains the tetrakas.-Species:*Appert's Tetraka, Xanthomixis apperti*Grey-crowned Tetraka, Xanthomixis cinereiceps*Dusky Tetraka, Xanthomixis tenebrosa...
– formerly in Phyllastrephus; possibly polyphyletic- Spectacled GreenbulSpectacled GreenbulThe Spectacled Tetraka is a species of Malagasy warbler in the Bernieridae family. It is found only in Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
, Xanthomixis zosterops - Appert's GreenbulAppert's TetrakaAppert's Tetraka or Appert's Greenbul is a small passerine bird endemic to the south-west of Madagascar. The species was only described in 1972, and has been the subject of considerable taxonomic confusion. It was initially placed in the greenbul genus Phyllastrephus, and later with the Old World...
, Xanthomixis apperti - Dusky GreenbulDusky GreenbulThe Dusky Tetraka is a species of Old World warbler in the Bernieridae family. It is found only in Madagascar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss....
, Xanthomixis tenebrosus - Gray-crowned Greenbul, Xanthomixis cinereiceps
- Spectacled Greenbul
Incertae sedis
- Genus NicatorNicatorNicator is a genus of songbird endemic to Africa. The genus contains three medium sized passerine birds.-Taxonomy:The systematic affinities of the genus have been a long-standing mystery. The group was originally assigned to the shrikes...
- Yellow-spotted NicatorYellow-spotted NicatorThe Western Nicator is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.-Distribution:It is found in Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia,...
, Nicator chloris - Eastern NicatorEastern NicatorThe Eastern Nicator is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe....
, Nicator gularis - Yellow-throated NicatorYellow-throated NicatorThe Yellow-throated Nicator is a species of songbird in the Pycnonotidae family.It is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Uganda....
, Nicator vireo
- Yellow-spotted Nicator
External links
- Bulbul photos and videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- Family characters