Red-whiskered Bulbul
Pycnonotus jocosus
The Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus) is a common bulbul found in 27 countries, weighing about 29 g. The red-whiskered bulbul, or crested bulbul, is a passerine bird native to Asia.
About the Red-whiskered Bulbul
The red-whiskered bulbul, or crested bulbul, is a passerine bird native to 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. It has a loud three or four note call, feeds on fruits and small insects and perches conspicuously on trees. It is common in hill forests and urban gardens.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The red-whiskered bulbul is about 20 centimetres (7.9 in) in length. It has brown upper-parts and whitish underparts with buff flanks and a dark spur running onto the breast at shoulder level. It has a tall pointed black crest, red face patch and thin black moustachial line. The tail is long and brown with white terminal feather tips, but the vent area is red. Juveniles lack the red patch behind the eye, and the vent area is rufous-orange. An albino red-whiskered bulbul has also been recorded.
What the Red-whiskered Bulbul sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in France, Seychelles, Qatar, Germany.
When to see it
The Red-whiskered 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-whiskered Bulbul?
- The red-whiskered bulbul is about 20 centimetres (7.9 in) in length. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Red-whiskered Bulbul?
- The Red-whiskered Bulbul is a small sized bird weighing about 29 g.
- Where can you see a Red-whiskered Bulbul?
- The Red-whiskered Bulbul occurs in 27 countries, including India, the United States, Australia, Hong Kong SAR China and China.
- What does a Red-whiskered Bulbul sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Red-whiskered Bulbul on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Red-whiskered Bulbul?
- The Red-whiskered Bulbul is most easily confused with the Light-vented Bulbul, the Red-vented Bulbul and the Common Bulbul.
- Is the Red-whiskered Bulbul endangered?
- The Red-whiskered Bulbul is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Red-whiskered 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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