Search Help

Bulbuls (Pycnonotidae)

Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus) - HBW 10, p. 176

French: Bulbul orphée German: Rotohrbülbül Spanish: Bulbul Orfeo

Taxonomy: [Lanius] jocosus Linnaeus, 1758, Guangzhou, Guangdong, south China.
Genus as currently constituted probably polyphyletic; in-depth analysis of morphology, voice, behaviour and genetics required to redefine its limits. Present species may merit placement in a separate genus, Otocompsa (currently a subgenus). S China race hainanensis was initially assumed to relate to escaped cagebirds (there is no wild population on Hainan). Described Indian races provincialis (Uttar Pradesh) and erythrotis (West Bengal), and peguensis (from Myanmar), considered insufficiently distinct to justify recognition; thus, the first is merged with .. View all taxonomy...

Taxonomy: [Lanius] jocosus Linnaeus, 1758, Guangzhou, Guangdong, south China.
Genus as currently constituted probably polyphyletic; in-depth analysis of morphology, voice, behaviour and genetics required to redefine its limits. Present species may merit placement in a separate genus, Otocompsa (currently a subgenus). S China race hainanensis was initially assumed to relate to escaped cagebirds (there is no wild population on Hainan). Described Indian races provincialis (Uttar Pradesh) and erythrotis (West Bengal), and peguensis (from Myanmar), considered insufficiently distinct to justify recognition; thus, the first is merged with pyrrhotis and the last two with emeria. Racial identity of Laos population uncertain, tentatively included in pattani. Nine subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • abuensis (Whistler, 1931) - NW India (W Rajasthan, N Maharashtra, but absent from more arid areas).
  • fuscicaudatus (Gould, 1866) - W & C India.
  • pyrrhotis (Bonaparte, 1850) - N India (Punjab E to Arunachal Pradesh) and Nepal.

     See all 9 subspecies
  • abuensis (Whistler, 1931) - NW India (W Rajasthan, N Maharashtra, but absent from more arid areas).
  • fuscicaudatus (Gould, 1866) - W & C India.
  • pyrrhotis (Bonaparte, 1850) - N India (Punjab E to Arunachal Pradesh) and Nepal.
  • emeria (Linnaeus, 1758) - E India (Ganges Delta S to Rameswaram, in Tamil Nadu), Bangladesh, N, W & S Myanmar (including Arakan Hills) and SW Thailand.
  • whistleri Deignan, 1948 - Andaman Is.
  • monticola (Horsfield, 1840) - E Himalayas in NE India and S Tibet E to N Myanmar and S China (W & S Yunnan).
  • pattani Deignan, 1948 - extreme S Myanmar (S Tenasserim), Thailand, N Peninsular Malaysia, Laos and S Indochina.
  • hainanensis (Hachisuka, 1939) - N Vietnam and S China (S Guangdong, including Nao Chow Tao).
  • jocosus (Linneaus, 1758) - SE China (Guizhou E to Guangxi, E Guangdong and Hong Kong).
About us | Contact us | FAQ | Permalink