Bulbuls (Pycnonotidae)

Sooty-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster) - HBW 10, p. 185

French: Bulbul cul-d’or German: Kotilangbülbül Spanish: Bulbul Ventridorado

Taxonomy: Turdus aurigaster Vieillot, 1818, Caffraria; error = Java.
Genus as currently constituted probably polyphyletic; in-depth analysis of morphology, voice, behaviour and genetics required to redefine its limits. This species forms a superspecies with P. cafer; sometimes treated as conspecific owing to interbreeding in Myanmar; hybrids earlier described incorrectly as separate species (P. nigropileus and P. burmanicus). Several variable populations in Myanmar and S China reflect a hybrid origin; further review necessary, and some listed races may not be valid. Proposed races deignani (SE Thailand) and innitens (SC Thailand) indistinguishable from thais; and chrysorrhoeus, crocorrhous (both Java) and martini (Sumatra) inseparable from nominate. Races chrysorrhoides and resurrectus formerly known respectively as atricapilla and insularis, but these two names invalid, as preoccupied. Nine subspecies provisionally recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

latouchei Deignan, 1949 - S China (SW Sichuan and W & S Yunnan E to S Hunan and NE Guangxi) and E Myanmar E to NE Thailand, N Laos and N Vietnam (W Tonkin).
chrysorrhoides (Lafresnaye, 1845) - SE China.
resurrectus Deignan, 1952 - N Vietnam (E Tonkin, N Annam) and SE China (W Guangdong, Nao Chow Tao).

See all 9 subspecies

latouchei Deignan, 1949 - S China (SW Sichuan and W & S Yunnan E to S Hunan and NE Guangxi) and E Myanmar E to NE Thailand, N Laos and N Vietnam (W Tonkin).
chrysorrhoides (Lafresnaye, 1845) - SE China.
resurrectus Deignan, 1952 - N Vietnam (E Tonkin, N Annam) and SE China (W Guangdong, Nao Chow Tao).
klossi (Gyldenstolpe, 1920) - SE Myanmar and N Thailand.
schauenseei Delacour, 1943 - S Myanmar (C Tenasserim) and SW Thailand.
thais (Kloss, 1924) - C & SE Thailand and C Laos.
dolichurus Deignan, 1949 - C Vietnam (C Annam).
germani (Oustalet, 1878) - extreme SE Thailand, Cambodia and S Indochina.
aurigaster (Vieillot, 1818) - Java; Bali (possibly introduced).