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 .

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 .