How do you identify a Yellow-eared Bulbul?

The yellow-eared bulbul is about 20 cm (7.9 in) in length, with a long tail. Full identification notes are on this page.

How big is a Yellow-eared Bulbul?

The Yellow-eared Bulbul is a small sized bird weighing about 37 g.

Where can you see a Yellow-eared Bulbul?

The Yellow-eared Bulbul is endemic to Sri Lanka, which is the only country where it occurs.

What birds look similar to a Yellow-eared Bulbul?

The Yellow-eared Bulbul is most easily confused with the Ashy-fronted Bulbul, the Yellow-throated Bulbul and the Cream-eyed Bulbul.

Is the Yellow-eared Bulbul endangered?

The Yellow-eared Bulbul is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Yellow-eared Bulbul

Pycnonotus penicillatus

Bulbuls · Passeriformes · Rare

The Yellow-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus penicillatus) is a rare bulbul found only in Sri Lanka, weighing about 37 g. The yellow-eared bulbul is a species of songbird in the bulbul family of passerine birds.

Least ConcernRareEndemicEats fruitforestcup nest37 g

Yellow-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus penicillatus), photo 1 — Photo: (c) Christoph Moning, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Christoph Moning · cc-by

Yellow-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus penicillatus), photo 2 — Photo: Mickey Wu · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Yellow-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus penicillatus), photo 3 — Photo: Mickey Wu · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Yellow-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus penicillatus), photo 4 — Photo: Vsevolod Rudyi · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Yellow-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus penicillatus), photo 5 — Photo: Vsevolod Rudyi · http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Yellow-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus penicillatus), photo 6 — Photo: Tero Linjama · http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Yellow-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus penicillatus), photo 7 — Photo: Tero Linjama · http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Yellow-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus penicillatus), photo 8 — Photo: Byflickr · CC BY 2.0

Yellow-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus penicillatus), photo 9 — Photo: Tero Linjama · http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Yellow-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus penicillatus), photo 10 — Photo: Tero Linjama · http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

About the Yellow-eared Bulbul

The yellow-eared bulbul is a species of songbird in the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is an endemic resident breeder in the highlands of Sri Lanka. The common name is also used as an alternate name for the yellow-throated bulbul.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

How to identify it

The yellow-eared bulbul is about 20 cm (7.9 in) in length, with a long tail. It has olive upperparts and yellowish underparts. The crown of the head is grey, and there are yellow ear tufts and a yellow patch below the eye. There is a white tuft in front of the eye and the throat is also white. Sexes are similar in plumage, but young birds are duller than adults. The flight is bouncing and woodpecker-like.

Where it lives

Sri Lanka

When to see it

Best months: January, February, March, April, August, November, December, with peak activity in December. It is a winter visitor species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Yellow-eared Bulbul?: The yellow-eared bulbul is about 20 cm (7.9 in) in length, with a long tail. Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a Yellow-eared Bulbul?: The Yellow-eared Bulbul is a small sized bird weighing about 37 g.
Where can you see a Yellow-eared Bulbul?: The Yellow-eared Bulbul is endemic to Sri Lanka, which is the only country where it occurs.
What birds look similar to a Yellow-eared Bulbul?: The Yellow-eared Bulbul is most easily confused with the Ashy-fronted Bulbul, the Yellow-throated Bulbul and the Cream-eyed Bulbul.
Is the Yellow-eared Bulbul endangered?: The Yellow-eared Bulbul is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Yellow-eared 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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