White-spectacled Bulbul (Pycnonotus xanthopygos)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology:  Pycnonotus ("strong back") xanthopygos ("yellow rumped")

Adult White-spectacled Bulbul (Pycnonotus xanthopygos)  at Side, Antalya, Turkey - March 2025

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 38g  /  Length: 25cm  /  Wingspan: 25cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

An endemic of the Middle East, found along the Southern Coast of Turkey and widely across the Southern edges of the Arabian penninsula, this species is an adaptable generalist capable of living within towns and cities. It is a species which is on the outer edge of the bulbul family's range as the most Westerly species in Eurasia. They primarily feed on fruit but are broadly omnivorous.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Pycnonotidae
Genus: Pycnonotus
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

TURKEY  - Turkish: Bayağı Arap bülbülü ("Common arabian bulbul")
 - ANTALYA 2025 TRIP - A common and abundant resident throughout. 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Streak-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus conradi)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Pycnonotus ("strong back") conradi (after horticulturalist, Conrad Loddiges Jr)

Adult Streak-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus conradi) at Prek Toal, Cambodia - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: N/A 
Weight: 28-36g  /  Length: 17-20cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NOT PRESENT IN UK / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

If I'm honest, the Streak-eared Bulbul is kind of visually one of the least compelling species I've seen; it's not really got any single distinctive species, it's just a medium small brown bird of vaguely thrush like proportions.  That being said, I must admit to being somewhat intrigued by it's range; it was one of the commoner species seen in Cambodia, seen in a couple of places, but has a fairly restricted range, largely limited to Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.  Presumably there are some kind of pressures that prevent what seems a fairly adaptable species expanding beyond that limited area? 

Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Pycnonotidae
Genus: Pycnonotus
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

CAMBODIA - Khmer name: ពពិចត្រចៀកឆ្នូត ("Striped earings")

A fairly common resident..

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP:Seen at Prek Toal and Siem Reap,

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Mountain Bulbul (Ixos mcclellandii)

OTHER NAMES: Green-winged Bulbul, McClelland's Bulbul, Mountain Streaked Bulbul

Latin Etymology: Ixos (derived from "mistletoe") mcclellandii ("McClelland's")

Adult Mountain Bulbul (subspecies I. m. peracensis) at Genting Highlands - July 2016

Featured Subspecies: Ixos mcclellandii peracensis 
Weight: 27-41g  /  Length: 24cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Mountain Bulbul initially gave me the impression of a woodpecker - a long thin beak and a fairly stiff looking tail along with colours vaguely reminiscent of green woodpeckers.  As the name suggests they are a species of upland forest and is found in this habitat throughout most of continental South East Asia.  It was also probably the least shy bird I encountered in Genting Highlands and was much more willing to allow me to see it clearly than other species.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Pycnonotidae
Genus: Ixos
SUBSPECIES: I. m. mcclellandii, I. m. ventralis, I. m. tickelli, I. m. similis. I. m. holtii, I. m. loquax, I. m. griseiventer, I. m. canescens. I. m. peracensis

 - Sighting Locations -

MALAYSIA - Malay - Bebarau Bukit ("Hill Bulbul")

A locally common resident.

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: Several individuals seen in Genting Highlands

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-Canto .

Stripe-throated Bulbul (Pycnonotus finlaysoni)

OTHER NAMES: Striped-throated Bulbul, Steak-throated Bulbul

Latin Etymology: Pycnonotus ("strong back") finlaysoni (for George Finlayson)

Adult Stripe-throated Bulbul (subspecies P. f. finlaysoni) at Genting Highlands - July 2016

Featured Subspecies: Pycnonotus finlaysoni finlaysoni
Weight: 24-32g  /  Length: 19cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

This is very much one of those species where I have no idea where the common name comes from: while there is certainly some vague stripes or streaking going on, the fact this species has a bright yellow face would have seemed to me a more notable feature.  I first saw this species from underneath, and thought it was likely another yellow-vented bulbul - this species also has a yellow rump - but when it moved position I was able to confirm it as this species, which isn't quite as ubiquitous - favouring forests.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Pycnonotidae
Genus: Pycnonotus
SUBSPECIES: P. f. davisoni, P. f. eous, P. f. finlaysoni

 - Sighting Locations -

MALAYSIA - Malay - Merbah Luris Leher ("Strait Neck Bulbul")

A locally fairly common resident.

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: A single individual seen in Genting Highlands

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto   .

Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Pycnonotus ("strong back") goiavier ("guava")

Adult Yellow-vented Bulbul (subspecies P. g. jambu) in Ang Mo Kio, Singapore - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: Pycnonotus goiavier jambu
Weight: 60g  /  Length: 18cm  /  Wingspan: 20-25cm
 NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

As only my second ever species of bulbul, the yellow-vented came as a bit of a contrast to the brown-eared ones of Japan.  While certainly one of the top ten most common birds I saw on the trip, it wasn't ubiquitous in the same way the brown-eared is and certainly considerably quieter.  Unlike in Japan though, there are a number of species of bulbul present which makes identification slightly more effort, especially as there are a few similar looking species - the yellow rump but otherwise fairly drab colouration is distinctive here.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Pycnonotidae
Genus: Pycnonotus
SUBSPECIES: P. g. jambu, P. g. personatus, P. g. analis, P. g. gourdini, P. g. goiavier, P. g. samarensis, P. g. suluvensis

 - Sighting Locations -

CAMBODIA - Khmer - ចាបក្រួច

A common resident..

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Common in Siem Reap

MALAYSIA - Malay - Merbah Kapur ("Lime Bulbul")

Common resident.

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: Seen regularly in Kuala Lumpur, though intermittently. 

SINGAPORE - Common resident

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: Common in Ang Mo Kio.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Brown-Eared Bulbul (Hypsipetes amaurotis)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Hypsipetes ("high flyer") amaurotis ("brown eared")

Adult Brown-eared Bulbul (subspecies H. a. amaurotis) in Tokyo, Japan - December 2014

Featured Subspecies: Hypsipetes amaurotis amaurotis
Weight: 30-35g  /  Length: 28cm  /  Wingspan: ?
ABSENT FROM UK  / IUCN Red List Least Concern

The Brown-eared Bulbul is a common but fairly shy species in Japan, while widespread it seems to be heard a lot more than you like to get good views of it, on my first trip to Japan, most of the time I saw them only distantly or heard them in the treetops.  On my second visit they were much more abundant however, and proved to be one of those species that often looked as if they would be something else, but then resulted in frustration when it turned out to be yet another Bulbul. They are thrush sized and fairly raucous, making a lot of loud noise wherever they go.  Apparently they are fairly omnivorous, eating fruits, seeds, insects and whatever else they can get hold of.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Pycnonotidae
Genus: Hypsipetes or Microscelis
Subspecies: H. a. hensoni, H. a. amaurotis, H. a .squamiceps, H. a .magnirostris, H. a .borodinosis, H. a. ogawae, H. a. pryeri, H. a. insignis, H. a. stejnegeri, H. a. harterti, H. a. batanensis, H. a. fugensis, H. a. camiguinensis

- Sighting Locations -

JAPAN - Japanese - ヒヨドリ  /  Hiyo-dori  ("Bulbul")

Abundant resident. 

 - KYOTO 2013 TRIP: Seen often throughout Kyoto and Arashiyama thought never with good views.

 - TOKYO/HOKKAIDO 2014 TRIP: Abundant in Tokyo and common in Hokkaido including Akkeshi, Kushiro and Akan Crane Centre

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .