Bird Guide

Himalayan Bulbul vs Yellow-browed Bulbul

Himalayan Bulbul (Pycnonotus leucogenys)

Himalayan Bulbul

Pycnonotus leucogenys

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The Himalayan bulbul is about 18 cm in length, with a wingspan of 25.5–28 cm and an average weight of 30 g. Its head, throat, and crest are black and white. The back, side, and lengthy tail are brown, the underside is pale yellow. Sexes have similar plumage. The song is a beautiful 4-part whistle, which resembles an accelerated oriole whistle.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Sagnik Dutta Roy · CC BY 4.0
Yellow-browed Bulbul (Acritillas indica)

Yellow-browed Bulbul

Acritillas indica

Small31 gForest

This bulbul is about 20 cm (7.9 in) long, lacks a crest and has the upperparts olive-green with a prominent yellow brow and goggle with the underparts being all yellow. The sexes do not differ in plumage. The bill is black and the iris is reddish brown. The population in the northern Western Ghats (ssp. icterica) is paler yellow than the populations further south (ssp. indica). A somewhat disjunct population is found in the Eastern Ghats. Southwestern Sri Lankan populations (ssp. gugliemi) are greener while the northern populations are included in the nominate subspecies.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Yellow-browed Bulbul
Recorded by Jairam Vijayan · Call, song · Payyavoor, Kannur, Kerala, India · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Vaishak Kallore (Vaishak Kallore) · CC BY 3.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Himalayan Bulbul and Yellow-browed Bulbul.