Bird Guide

Common Bulbul vs Light-vented Bulbul

Common Bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus)

Common Bulbul

Pycnonotus barbatus

Small32 gWoodland

The common bulbul is 18–20 cm (7.1–7.9 in) in length, with a long tail. The sexes are similar in plumage but the male is on average larger. It has a dark brown head and brown upperparts. The underparts are dull grey. The bill is fairly short and thin, with a slightly downwards curving upper mandible. The bill, legs, and feet are black and the eye is dark brown with a dark eye-ring, which is not readily visible. Subspecies P. b. dodsoni, P. b. spurius, P. b. tricolor and P. b. layardi have yellow undertail coverts. The call is a loud doctor-quick doctor-quick be-quick be-quick.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Sam Thomas · CC BY 2.0
Light-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis)

Light-vented Bulbul

Pycnonotus sinensis

Small34 gUrban

The light-vented bulbul is around 19 cm (7.5 in) in length. It has a black crown and moustachial stripe, with white patches covering the nape and the sides of its black head. It has white plumage from its eyes to the back of its head. The upperparts are greyish-brown mixed with olive. The wings and tail are brown fringed with bright olive. The underparts are whitish with a pale brown breastband. It is noisy and sings very brightly and variably with a cha-ko-lee...cha-ko-lee... sound.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Joseph Tang · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: no rights reserved, uploaded by 葉子 · cc0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Common Bulbul and Light-vented Bulbul.