Red-vented Bulbul
Pycnonotus cafer
The Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer) is a common bulbul found in 30 countries, weighing about 43 g. The red-vented bulbul is a member of the bulbul family of passerines.
About the Red-vented Bulbul
The red-vented bulbul is a member of the bulbul family of passerines. It is a resident breeder across South Asia extending east to Burma. It has been introduced in many other parts of the world and has established itself in Argentina, Tonga and Fiji, as well as parts of Samoa, USA and Cook Islands. It is included in the list of the world's 100 worst invasive alien species. In New Zealand they were the target of a successful extermination campaign in 1955, however they are still sporadically reported.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The red-vented bulbul is easily identified by its short crest giving the head a squarish appearance. The body is dark brown with a scaly pattern while the head is darker or black. The rump is white while the vent is red. The bird is about 20 cm in length, with a long black tail, tipped in white. The Himalayan races have a more prominent crest and are more streaked on the underside. The race intermedius of the Western Himalayas has a black hood extending to the mid-breast.
What the Red-vented Bulbul sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Australia, New Zealand, Macao SAR China, Singapore.
When to see it
The Red-vented Bulbul can be seen all year round, with peak activity in February. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Red-vented Bulbul?
- The red-vented bulbul is easily identified by its short crest giving the head a squarish appearance. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Red-vented Bulbul?
- The Red-vented Bulbul is a small sized bird weighing about 43 g.
- Where can you see a Red-vented Bulbul?
- The Red-vented Bulbul occurs in 30 countries, including India, Sri Lanka, the United States, Nepal and the United Arab Emirates.
- What does a Red-vented Bulbul sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Red-vented Bulbul on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Red-vented Bulbul?
- The Red-vented Bulbul is most easily confused with the Red-whiskered Bulbul, the Light-vented Bulbul and the Common Bulbul.
- Is the Red-vented Bulbul endangered?
- The Red-vented Bulbul is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Red-vented Bulbul for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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