English: LIFE OF RED-WHISKERED BULBUL

Scientific name: Pycnonotidae Kingdom: Animalia Family: Pycnonotidae; Gray, GR, 1840 Order: Passeriformes Class: Aves

Did you know: Bulbuls are highly vocal, with the calls of most species being described as nasal or gravelly.

DESCRIPTION: The Red-Whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus) is a small passerine in the Pycnonotidae family, distributed in India, Southeast Asia and South China. In South China it ranges from Southeast Tibet to South Yunnan. It inhabits wooded habitats, secondary forests, urban areas, parks, and gardens, commonly close to human populations. Red-whiskered Bulbul has grey brown upperparts. Underparts are white. Vent and undertail coverts are bright red. Head is black and shows a pointed black crest. Cheeks are white, bordered with black moustache. We can see a red patch, called “whiskers”, behind and below the eyes. Nape is black, extending forwards in black half-collar. Chin, throat, chest and belly are white. Slender bill is black. Eyes are dark brown. Legs and feet are relatively short and black. In flight, wings appear short and rounded. Long tail varies from rounded to square. The ends of outer tail feathers are white. Both male and female are similar in plumage. Juvenile is duller than adults. It lacks the red whiskers and has greyish-black crown. We can find 8 subspecies, which differ in white tail pattern, black collar, length of crest and bill and back colour. Nest is made with dead leaves and twigs, well woven with spider webs. It is lined with fine grasses, rootlets and hair. Feeding Behavior Except when nesting, travels in flocks to feed at fruiting plants. Takes insects by flying out to capture them in mid-air, hovering to pick them from bark, or searching among foliage.

VOICE: SOUNDS BY XENO-CANTO Red-whiskered Bulbul is very talkative. It utters short descending musical whistled phrases “witiwet”. We can also hear warbling sounds and noisy chatter. Their deep calls are particularly loud and warm. Young Both parents feed nestlings. Age of young at first flight not well known.

HABITAT: Red-whiskered Bulbul lives in open areas with bushes and scrubs, and second grows. It lives in thickets, near cultivated areas and gardens, and in big towns. It also likes lightly wooded areas. It is resident in its range.

Diet Berries, small fruits, insects. With its small bill, usually does not feed on large fruits until they are overripe or punctured by other birds. Important items in Florida include berries and fruits of Brazilian pepper, figs, lantana, jasmine, and others. Takes nectar, eats pieces of flowers and green shoots of vegetation. Also eats many insects.

SOURCES:

HANDBOOK OF THE BIRDS OF THE WORLD Vol 10 by Josep del Hoyo-Andrew Elliott-David Christie - Lynx Edicions - ISBN: 8487334725