Bulbuls (Pycnonotidae)

Bulbuls are small passerine birds known for their melodious songs. Their neck and wings are short while the tail is longer. Their wings are rounded and the bill is long and elongated with a hooked end.

There is very little sexual dimorphism. The female tend to be a bit smaller than the males. Most species of Bulbuls found in India are colourful with colourful vents, throat and whiskers. Examples are Red-whiskered Bulbul, Red-vented Bulbul and the Ruby-throated Bulbul.

Bulbuls are highly vocal and most of them have a gravelly voice. Many Bulbuls have well-defined crests. Bulbuls have a single partner throughout their lifetime.

They lay 4-5 eggs in the nest which take roughly 2 weeks to hatch. Their chicks take another 2 weeks to fledge. Incubation is done by the female bird while male guards the nest and brings food for the busy mother.

While most Bulbuls are frugivorous, some species are omnivorous and can eat anything from fruits, seeds and nectar to insects and small vertebrates.

Bulbuls are quite common birds and are a familiar sight in Indian villages and towns. The most common species being the Red-Vented Bulbul in Northern Plains and the Himalayan Bulbul in the Himalayas.

Here I will talk about of 4 species of Bulbuls:

1. Red-vented Bulbul

2. Himalayan Bulbul

3. White-eared Bulbul