Sooty-Headed Bulbul

Pycnonotus aurigaster

Description

Pycnonotus aurigaster is a medium-sized bird, a total body length of about 20 cm. The iris is red, the upper side of the body (back to the tail) is gray brown, the underside is grayish white. The top of the head, starting from the forehead and crest, is black. The tunggir (in front of the tail) is clearly white, the beak and legs are black.

Population Size

Unknown

Life Span

-

WEIGHT​

-

LENGTH

20 cm

Di

Diurnal

Fr

Frugivore

Classification

KINGDOM

:

Animalia

PHYLUM

:

Chordata

CLASS

:

Aves

ORDER

:

Passeriformes

FAMILY

:

Pycnonotidae

GENUS

:

Pycnonotus

SPECIES

:

Pycnonotus aurigaster

Distribution

Pycnonotus aurigaster used to visit open areas, roadsides, gardens, yards, shrubs and secondary forest, up to an altitude of about 1,600 m above sea level.

Geography

Continent : Asia

Country : Pycnonotus aurigaster is widespread in southern China and Southeast Asia (except Malaysia), Java and Bali. Introduced to Sumatra and Sulawesi, a few years ago this bird also began to be found in Kalimantan.

Habits and Lifestyle

Pycnonotus aurigaster is often found living wild in parks and home yards in urban areas, found in groups, both when looking for food and perches, with the same species or the same genus, or even with other bird species. This species has the habit of sunbathing and showering dew every morning, it is useful to keep its fur continuously oiled. This oil comes from the back near the end of the tail which is connected to the body. Ketilang birds also have the habit of raising their crests when they are happy or want to defecate.

Lifestyle

Colony

Biome

Secondary forest

Climate Zone

Tropical

Diet and Nutrition

Pycnonotus aurigaster main food is soft fruits. This bird benefits farmers because it preys on various types of insects, caterpillars and various other small animals that become plant pests, but often irritates farmers by eating fruits such as papayas and bananas.

Diet : Frugivora

Mating Habits

This species is recorded as nesting all year round except November, with a peak April to September. The nest is in the shape of a cup made of woven grass leaves, leaf stalks or smooth twigs. Two or three eggs, reddish colored with purple and gray spots.

Reproduction session : all year round except November, with a peak April to September.

Incubation periods: –

Independent age : –

Baby name : –

Baby carrying : 2 – 3 eggs

Population

Population status : Least Concern (LC)

NE

DD

LC

NT

VU

EN

CR

EW

EX

Population number​

Pycnonotus aurigaster is very widespread in its home range, so it is categorized as the least concern in the IUCN Red List.

PHOTO GALLERY

Reference

  1. MacKinnon, J. 1991 . Fields Guide to the Birds Of Java and Bali. Gadjah Mada University Press. Yogyakarta.
  2. Burung Kutilang on Wikipedia article 
  3. Pycnonotus aurigaster on Red List IUCN site