Bulbul
Bulbul | |
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Brown-eared bulbul (Hypsipetes amaurotis) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Parvorder: | Sylviida |
Family: | Pycnonotidae Gray, GR, 1840 |
Genera | |
See text | |
Synonyms | |
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The bulbuls are members of a
Taxonomy
The family Pycnonotidae was introduced by the English zoologist
The Arabic word bulbul (بلبل) is sometimes used to refer to the "
A few species that were previously considered to be members of the Pycnonotidae have been moved to other families. Several Malagasy species that were formerly placed in the genus
A study published in 2007 by Ulf Johansson and colleagues using three nuclear markers found that the genus
The family forms two main clades. One clade contains species that are only found in Africa; many of these have greenbul in the common name. The second clade contains mostly Asian species but includes a few species that are found in Africa.[10]
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Phylogeny based on a study of the babblers by Cai and colleagues published in 2019.[8][11] |
List of genera
Currently, there are 166 recognized species in 32 genera:[8]
- Genus Andropadus – sombre greenbul(formerly contained many species)
- Genus Stelgidillas – slender-billed greenbul(formerly in Andropadus)
- Genus Calyptocichla – golden greenbul
- Genus Neolestes – black-collared bulbul
- Genus Bleda– bristlebills (5 species)
- Genus Atimastillas – yellow-throated leaflove
- Genus Ixonotus – spotted greenbul
- Genus Thescelocichla – swamp palm bulbul
- Genus Chlorocichla – greenbuls (5 species)
- Genus Baeopogon – greenbuls (2 species)
- Genus Arizelocichla – greenbuls (12 species) (formerly in Andropadus)
- Genus Criniger – greenbuls (5 species)
- Genus Eurillas – greenbuls (5 species) (formerly in Andropadus)
- Genus Phyllastrephus – greenbuls and brownbuls (20 species)
- Genus Tricholestes – hairy-backed bulbul
- Genus Setornis – hook-billed bulbul
- Genus Alophoixus – 8 species (formerly in Criniger)
- Genus Alcurus – striated bulbul
- Genus Iole– 7 species
- Genus Hemixos – 4 species
- Genus Acritillas – yellow-browed bulbul
- Genus Ixos – 5 species
- Genus Cerasophilaand one formerly in Microscelis)
- Genus Euptilotus – puff-backed bulbul (formerly in Pycnonotus)
- Genus Microtarsus – black-and-white bulbul(formerly in Pycnonotus)
- Genus Poliolophus – yellow-wattled bulbul(formerly in Pycnonotus)
- Genus Brachypodius – 4 species (formerly in Pycnonotus)
- Genus Ixodia – 3 species (formerly in Pycnonotus)
- Genus Rubigula – 5 species (formerly in Pycnonotus)
- Genus Nok – bare-faced bulbul (genus introduced in 2017)
- Genus Spizixos – finchbills (2 species)
- Genus Pycnonotus – 34 species (substantially reduced from earlier classification)
Cladogram
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Phylogeny based on a study by Subir Shakya and Frederick Shelden published in 2017 with the revised genera as defined in the list maintained on behalf of the monophyletic .
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Description
Bulbuls are short-necked slender passerines. The tails are long and the wings short and rounded. In almost all species the bill is slightly elongated and slightly hooked at the end. They vary in length from 13 cm and 13.3 g (0.47 oz) for the tiny greenbul to 29 cm and 93 g (3.3 oz) in the straw-headed bulbul.[13] Overall the sexes are alike, although the females tend to be slightly smaller. In a few species the differences are so great that they have been described as functionally different species. The soft plumage of some species is colorful with yellow, red or orange vents, cheeks, throat or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive-brown to black plumage. Species with dull coloured eyes often sport contrasting eyerings. Some have very distinct crests. Bulbuls are highly vocal, with the calls of most species being described as nasal or gravelly. One author described the song of the brown-eared bulbul as "one of the most unattractive noises made by any bird".[14]
Behaviour and ecology
Breeding
The bulbuls are generally
Feeding
Bulbuls eat a wide range of foods, ranging from fruit to seeds, nectar, small insects and other arthropods and even small vertebrates. The majority of species are frugivorous and supplement their diet with some insects, although there is a significant minority of specialists, particularly in Africa. Open country species in particular are generalists. Bulbuls in the genus
Relationship to humans
The
In general, bulbuls and greenbuls are resistant to human pressures on the environment and are tolerant of disturbed habitat. Around 13 species are considered
References
- ^ Gray, George Robert (1840). A List of the Genera of Birds : with an Indication of the Typical Species of Each Genus. London: R. and J.E. Taylor. p. 28.
- hdl:2246/830.
- ^ Fishpool & Tobias 2005, pp. 161–162.
- PMID 11475055.
- .
- PMID 15888418.
- PMID 18619860.
- ^ Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2021). "Bulbuls". IOC World Bird List Version 11.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
- S2CID 84799480.
- ^ .
- PMID 30321696.
- .
- ISBN 978-1-4200-6444-5.
- ^ Fishpool & Tobias 2005, p. 146.
- ^ Fishpool & Tobias 2005, p. 151.
- ^ Fishpool & Tobias 2005, pp. 154–155.
Sources
- Fishpool, L.D.C.; Tobias, J.A. (2005). "Family Pycnonotidae (Bulbuls)". In del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Christie, D.A. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 10: Cuckoo-shrikes to Thrushes. Barcelona, Spain: Lynx Edicions. pp. 124–250. ISBN 978-84-87334-72-6.
External links
- Bulbul photos and videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- Family characters