# Bulbul

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Family of birds

For other uses, see [Bulbul (disambiguation)](/source/Bulbul_(disambiguation)).

Bulbul Brown-eared bulbul (Hypsipetes amaurotis) Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Superfamily: Sylvioidea Family: Pycnonotidae Gray, GR, 1840 Genera See text Synonyms Brachypodidae Swainson, 1831 Trichophoridae Swainson, 1831 Ixosidae Bonaparte, 1838 Hypsipetidae Bonaparte, 1854 Crinigeridae Bonaparte, 1854 (1831) Phyllastrephidae Milne-Edwards & Grandidier, 1879 Tyladidae Oberholser, 1917 Spizixidae Oberholser, 1919

The **bulbuls** are members of a [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)), **Pycnonotidae**, of medium-sized [passerine](/source/Perching_bird) [songbirds](/source/Songbird), which also includes [greenbuls](/source/Greenbul), [brownbuls](/source/Brownbul), [leafloves](/source/Leaflove), and [bristlebills](/source/Bristlebill). The family is distributed across most of Africa and into the Middle East, tropical Asia to Indonesia, and north as far as Japan. A few insular species occur on the tropical islands of the Indian Ocean. There are 161 species in 28 [genera](/source/Genus). While different species are found in a wide range of habitats, the African species are predominantly found in [rainforest](/source/Rainforest), whereas Asian bulbuls are predominantly found in more open areas.

## Taxonomy

The family Pycnonotidae was introduced by the English zoologist [George Robert Gray](/source/George_Robert_Gray) in 1840 as a subfamily Pycnonotinae of the thrush family [Turdidae](/source/Turdidae).[1][2]

The Persian word *bulbul* (بلبل) is sometimes used to refer to the "[nightingale](/source/Nightingale)" as well as the bulbul, but the English word *bulbul* refers to the birds discussed in this article.[3]

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 *[Phyllastrephus](/source/Phyllastrephus)* are now placed in the family [Bernieridae](/source/Bernieridae).[4][5] In addition, the genus *[Nicator](/source/Nicator)* containing three African species is now placed in a separate family [Nicatoridae](/source/Nicatoridae).[6][7]

A study published in 2007 by Ulf Johansson and colleagues using three nuclear markers found that the genus *[Andropadus](/source/Andropadus)* was [non-monophyletic](/source/Monophyletic). In the subsequent revision, species were moved to three resurrected genera: *[Arizelocichla](/source/Arizelocichla)*, *[Stelgidillas](/source/Stelgidillas)* and *[Eurillas](/source/Eurillas)*. Only the [sombre greenbul](/source/Sombre_greenbul) (*Andropadus importunus*), was retained in *Andropadus*.[8][9] A study by Subir Shakya and Frederick Shelden published in 2017 found that species in the large genus *[Pycnonotus](/source/Pycnonotus)* formed several deeply divergent clades. The genus was split and genera were resurrected to accommodate these clades.[8][10]

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]

Pycnonotidae – bulbuls (161 species) Paradoxornithidae – parrotbills and myzornis (38 species) Sylviidae – sylviid warblers (32 species) Zosteropidae – white-eyes (147 species) Timaliidae – tree babblers (58 species) Pellorneidae – ground babblers (65 species) Leiothrichidae – laughingthrushes and allies (143 species) Phylogeny based on a study of the babblers by Cai and colleagues published in 2019.[8][11]

### List of genera

[Collared finchbill](/source/Collared_finchbill)

[Red-whiskered bulbul](/source/Red-whiskered_bulbul)

Currently, there are 161 recognized species in 28 genera:[8]

- Genus *[Andropadus](/source/Andropadus)* – [sombre greenbul](/source/Sombre_greenbul) (formerly contained many species)

- Genus *[Stelgidillas](/source/Stelgidillas)* – [slender-billed greenbul](/source/Slender-billed_greenbul) (formerly in *Andropadus*)

- Genus *[Calyptocichla](/source/Calyptocichla)* – [golden greenbul](/source/Golden_greenbul)

- Genus *[Neolestes](/source/Neolestes)* – [black-collared bulbul](/source/Black-collared_bulbul)

- Genus *[Bleda](/source/Bleda_(bird))* – bristlebills (5 species)

- Genus *[Atimastillas](/source/Atimastillas)* – greenbuls (2 species)

- Genus *[Ixonotus](/source/Ixonotus)* – [spotted greenbul](/source/Spotted_greenbul)

- Genus *[Thescelocichla](/source/Thescelocichla)* – [swamp palm bulbul](/source/Swamp_palm_bulbul)

- Genus *[Chlorocichla](/source/Chlorocichla)* – greenbuls (5 species)

- Genus *[Baeopogon](/source/Baeopogon)* – greenbuls (2 species)

- Genus *[Arizelocichla](/source/Arizelocichla)* – greenbuls (11 species) (formerly in *Andropadus*)

- Genus *[Criniger](/source/Criniger)* – greenbuls (5 species)

- Genus *[Eurillas](/source/Eurillas)* – greenbuls (5 species) (formerly in *Andropadus*)

- Genus *[Phyllastrephus](/source/Phyllastrephus)* – greenbuls and brownbuls (20 species)

- Genus *[Tricholestes](/source/Tricholestes)* – [hairy-backed bulbul](/source/Hairy-backed_bulbul)

- Genus *[Setornis](/source/Setornis)* – [hook-billed bulbul](/source/Hook-billed_bulbul)

- Genus *[Alophoixus](/source/Alophoixus)* – 8 species (formerly in *Criniger*)

- Genus *[Alcurus](/source/Alcurus)* – [striated bulbul](/source/Striated_bulbul)

- Genus *[Iole](/source/Iole_(genus))* – 7 species

- Genus *[Hemixos](/source/Hemixos)* – 3 species

- Genus *[Acritillas](/source/Acritillas)* – [yellow-browed bulbul](/source/Yellow-browed_bulbul)

- Genus *[Ixos](/source/Ixos)* – 5 species

- Genus *[Hypsipetes](/source/Hypsipetes)* – 26 species (includes 3 species formerly in *Thapsinillas*, one formerly in *[Cerasophila](/source/Cerasophila)* and one formerly in *Microscelis*)

- Genus *[Microtarsus](/source/Microtarsus)* – 7 species

- Genus *[Rubigula](/source/Rubigula)* – 8 species (formerly in *Pycnonotus*)

- Genus *[Nok](/source/Bare-faced_bulbul)* – [bare-faced bulbul](/source/Bare-faced_bulbul) (genus introduced in 2017)

- Genus *[Spizixos](/source/Spizixos)* – finchbills (2 species)

- Genus *[Pycnonotus](/source/Pycnonotus)* – 31 species (substantially reduced from earlier classification)

### Cladogram

Phylogeny based on a study by Subir Shakya and Frederick Shelden published in 2017 with the revised genera as defined in the [AviList](/source/AviList) checklist.[8][10] The positions of the [bare-faced bulbul](/source/Bare-faced_bulbul) (*Nok hualon*) and the [yellow-browed bulbul](/source/Yellow-browed_bulbul) (*Acritillas indica*) are based on a study by Jérôme Fuchs and colleagues published in 2018.[12] As currently defined the genera *Chlorocichla* and *Arizelocichla* are not [monophyletic](/source/Monophyletic).

Pycnonotidae Africa clade Andropadus – sombre greenbul Calyptocichla – golden greenbul Stelgidillas – slender-billed greenbul Neolestes – black-collared bulbul Phyllastrephus – greenbuls, brownbuls, leaflove (20 species) Criniger – greenbuls (5 species) Eurillas – greenbuls (5 species) Bleda - Bristlebill – bristlebills (5 species) Arizelocichla – greenbuls (12 species) Atimastillas – yellow-throated leaflove Ixonotus – spotted greenbul Thescelocichla – swamp palm bulbul Arizelocichla montana – Cameroon greenbul Chlorocichla – greenbuls (5 species) Baeopogon – greenbuls (2 species) Chlorocichla simplex – simple greenbul mainly Asian clade Microtarsus – (7 species) Rubigula – (8 species) Pycnonotus – (34 species) Nok – bare-faced bulbul Spizixos – finchbills (2 species) Tricholestes – hairy-backed bulbul Alophoixus – (8 species) Setornis – hook-billed bulbul Alcurus – striated bulbul Iole – (7 species) Acritillas – yellow-browed bulbul Hemixos – (4 species) Hypsipetes – (25 species) Ixos – (5 species)

## Description

Bulbuls are short-necked slender passerines. The tails are long and the wings short and rounded. In almost all species the [bill](/source/Beak) 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](/source/Tiny_greenbul_(disambiguation)) to 29 cm and 93 g (3.3 oz) in the [straw-headed bulbul](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Bird_vocalization), with the calls of most species being described as nasal or gravelly. One author described the song of the [brown-eared bulbul](/source/Brown-eared_bulbul) as "one of the most unattractive noises made by any bird".[14]

## Behaviour and ecology

### Breeding

The bulbuls are generally [monogamous](/source/Monogamy_in_animals). One unusual exception is the [yellow-whiskered greenbul](/source/Yellow-whiskered_greenbul) which at least over part of its range appears to be polygamous and engage in a [lekking](/source/Lek_(biology)) system. Some species also have [alloparenting](/source/Alloparenting) arrangements, where non-breeders, usually the young from earlier clutches, help raise the young of a dominant breeding pair.[15] Up to five speckled eggs are laid in open tree nests and [incubated](/source/Avian_incubation) by the female. Incubation usually lasts between 11 and 14 days, and chicks [fledge](/source/Fledge) after 12–16 days.[16]

### 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 *[Criniger](/source/Criniger)* and bristlebills in the genus *[Bleda](/source/Bleda_(bird))* will join [mixed-species feeding flocks](/source/Mixed-species_feeding_flock).

## Relationship to humans

The [red-whiskered bulbuls](/source/Red-whiskered_bulbul) and [red-vented bulbuls](/source/Red-vented_bulbul) have been captured for the pet trade in great numbers and have been widely introduced to tropical and subtropical areas, for example, southern [Florida](/source/Florida), [Fiji](/source/Fiji), [Australia](/source/Australia) and [Hawaii](/source/Hawaii). Some species[*[which?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Avoid_weasel_words)*] are regarded as crop pests, particularly in orchards.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

In general, bulbuls and greenbuls are resistant to human pressures on the environment and are tolerant of disturbed habitat. Around 13 species are considered [threatened](/source/Threatened) by human activities, mostly specialised forest species that are threatened by [habitat loss](/source/Habitat_loss).

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Gray, George Robert](/source/George_Robert_Gray) (1840). [*A List of the Genera of Birds : with an Indication of the Typical Species of Each Genus*](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13668922). London: R. and J.E. Taylor. p. 28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Bock, Walter J. (1994). [*History and Nomenclature of Avian Family-Group Names*](http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/handle/2246/830). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. Vol. 222. New York: American Museum of Natural History. pp. 201, 237. [hdl](/source/Hdl_(identifier)):[2246/830](https://hdl.handle.net/2246%2F830).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFishpoolTobias2005[httpsarchiveorgdetailshandbookofbirdso0010unsepage161mode1up_161–162]_3-0)** [Fishpool & Tobias 2005](#CITEREFFishpoolTobias2005), pp. [161–162](https://archive.org/details/handbookofbirdso0010unse/page/161/mode/1up).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Cibois, Alice; Slikas, Beth; Shulenberg, Thomas S.; Pasquet, Eric (2001). "An endemic radiation of Malagasy songbirds is revealed by mitochondrial DNA sequence data". *Evolution*. **55** (6): 1198–1206. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1554/0014-3820(2001)055\[1198:AEROMS\]2.0.CO;2](https://doi.org/10.1554%2F0014-3820%282001%29055%5B1198%3AAEROMS%5D2.0.CO%3B2). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [11475055](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11475055).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Cibois, Alice; David, Normand; Gregory, Steven M. S.; Pasquet, Eric (2010). "Bernieridae (Aves: Passeriformes): a family-group name for the Malagasy sylvioid radiation". *Zootaxa*. **2554**: 65–68. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.11646/zootaxa.2554.1.6](https://doi.org/10.11646%2Fzootaxa.2554.1.6).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Beresford, P.; Barker, F.K.; Ryan, P.G.; Crowe, T.M. (2005). ["African endemics span the tree of songbirds (Passeri): molecular systematics of several evolutionary 'enigmas'"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1599865). *Proceedings of the Royal Society B*. **272** (1565): 849–858. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1098/rspb.2004.2997](https://doi.org/10.1098%2Frspb.2004.2997). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [1599865](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1599865). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [15888418](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15888418).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Johansson, U.S.; Fjeldså, J.; Bowie, R.C.K. (2008). "Phylogenetic relationships within Passerida (Aves: Passeriformes): A review and a new molecular phylogeny based on three nuclear intron markers". *Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution*. **48** (3): 858–876. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.ympev.2008.05.029](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.ympev.2008.05.029). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [18619860](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18619860).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-avilist_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-avilist_8-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-avilist_8-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-avilist_8-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-avilist_8-4) AviList Core Team (2025). ["AviList: The Global Avian Checklist, v2025"](http://www.avilist.org/checklist/v2025/). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2173/avilist.v2025](https://doi.org/10.2173%2Favilist.v2025). Retrieved 17 November 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Johansson, U.S.; Fjeldså, J.; Lokugalappatti, L.G.S.; Bowie, R.C.K. (2007). "A nuclear DNA phylogeny and proposed taxonomic revision of African greenbuls (Aves, Passeriformes, Pycnonotidae)". *Zoologica Scripta*. **36** (5): 417–427. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/j.1463-6409.2007.00290.x](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1463-6409.2007.00290.x). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [84799480](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:84799480).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-shakya_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-shakya_10-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-shakya_10-2) Shakya, Subir B.; Sheldon, Frederick H. (2017). ["The phylogeny of the world's bulbuls (Pycnonotidae) inferred using a supermatrix approach"](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fibi.12464). *Ibis*. **159** (3): 498–509. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/ibi.12464](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fibi.12464).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Cai, T.; Cibois, A.; Alström, P.; Moyle, R.G.; Kennedy, J.D.; Shao, S.; Zhang, R.; Irestedt, M.; Ericson, P.G.P.; Gelang, M.; Qu, Y.; Lei, F.; Fjeldså, J. (2019). ["Near-complete phylogeny and taxonomic revision of the world's babblers (Aves: Passeriformes)"](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.ympev.2018.10.010). *Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution*. **130**: 346–356. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.ympev.2018.10.010](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.ympev.2018.10.010). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [30321696](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30321696).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Fuchs, J.; Pasquet, E.; Stuart, B.L.; Woxvold, I.A.; Duckworth, J.W.; Bowie, R.C.K. (2018). "Phylogenetic affinities of the enigmatic Bare-faced Bulbul *Pycnonotus hualon* with description of a new genus". *Ibis*. **160** (3): 659–665. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/ibi.12580](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fibi.12580).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Dunning, John B. Jr., ed. (2008). *CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses* (2nd ed.). CRC Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4200-6444-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4200-6444-5).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFishpoolTobias2005[httpsarchiveorgdetailshandbookofbirdso0010unsepage146mode1up_146]_14-0)** [Fishpool & Tobias 2005](#CITEREFFishpoolTobias2005), p. [146](https://archive.org/details/handbookofbirdso0010unse/page/146/mode/1up).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFishpoolTobias2005[httpsarchiveorgdetailshandbookofbirdso0010unsepage151mode1up_151]_15-0)** [Fishpool & Tobias 2005](#CITEREFFishpoolTobias2005), p. [151](https://archive.org/details/handbookofbirdso0010unse/page/151/mode/1up).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEFishpoolTobias2005[httpsarchiveorgdetailshandbookofbirdso0010unsepage154mode1up_154–155]_16-0)** [Fishpool & Tobias 2005](#CITEREFFishpoolTobias2005), pp. [154–155](https://archive.org/details/handbookofbirdso0010unse/page/154/mode/1up).

## Sources

- Fishpool, L.D.C.; Tobias, J.A. (2005). ["Family Pycnonotidae (Bulbuls)"](https://archive.org/details/handbookofbirdso0010unse/page/124/mode/1up). 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](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-84-87334-72-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-84-87334-72-6).

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Pycnonotidae](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Pycnonotidae).

- *[Bulbul photos and videos](http://ibc.lynxeds.com/family/bulbuls-pycnonotidae) on the Internet Bird Collection*

- *[Family characters](https://web.archive.org/web/20090605205229/http://www.eeb.cornell.edu/winkler/botw/pycnonotidae.html)*

Taxon identifiers Pycnonotidae Wikidata: Q188854 Wikispecies: Pycnonotidae AFD: Pycnonotidae BOLD: 95522 CoL: FFJ EoL: 1614 EPPO: 1PYCNF Fauna Europaea: 16701 Fauna Europaea (new): 9743b8cc-b269-40da-bb1a-ef8034da0183 GBIF: 5277 iNaturalist: 14556 IRMNG: 105004 ITIS: 178504 NBN: NBNSYS0000164604 NCBI: 36294 NZOR: e9953aae-a617-4148-b7fa-3f0a6421ea01 Open Tree of Life: 132000 Paleobiology Database: 370651 WoRMS: 196047

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