Bulbuls: Family Pycnonotidae

Bulbuls are a relatively large family of medium sized birds native to tropical areas of Africa and Asia. Like the thrush family, the Bulbuls are always a welcome visitor to gardens and parks of tropical regions because of their beautiful song. Many of these birds in this family are common domestic pets, for this very reason. They feed on a variety of fruits and supplement their diet with insects.

They are a diverse family but generally are medium sized, with round wings, a long tail and small, spindly legs. They range in color from dark black with red wings to spotted gray to a range of dull colors. Many of the members of this family have bright spots in various positions on their body, and crests on their head, which they use in non-vocal communication.

Body Language

Though these birds have a diverse and beautiful set of tweets and chirps, they also have a range of physical displays which they use to communicate, as well. Some species use these displays, such as exposing their bright colors or raising their crests at specific angles, to say certain things. For example, to say "Hey, whats up?" the Red-vented Bulbul will show off their bright red patches to one another, like shaking hands. To say "How you doin?" to a lady-bird, the male Red-vented Bulbul will raise his crest, spread his tail feathers, and flick his wings while wiggling back and forth.

Taxonomy and Evolution

Biogeography has played a large part in the evolution and radiation of these birds. Biogeography is the study of how organisms can be cut off from their original populations, due to geographical barriers, and have evolved specifically to exploit their new habitat. Much in the same way that Darwin's Finches adapted certain strategies to exploit different island habitats, Bulbuls evolved certain strategies to exploit various mountain regions.

Mountainous regions can act very much like island habitats when it comes to genetic drift and natural selection because certain regions in the mountains are cut off from all other places. When species such as Bulbuls land in a new region, they can start to evolve different strategies for survival based on the different resources available to them. Because mountainous regions can produce this effect, they are known for their high biological diversity. There are 120 species of Bulbuls and they occupy many different tropical regions of Asia and Africa. Genera include:

Genus Calyptocichla
Genus Spizixos (Finchbills)
Genus Tricholestes (Hairy-backed Bulbul)
Genus Setornis (Hook-billed Bulbul)
Genus Alophoixus
Genus Iole
Genus Hemixos
Genus Ixos
Genus Microscelis
Genus Hypsipetes
Genus Phyllastrephus
Genus Andropadus
Genus Criniger
Genus Thescelocichla (Swamp Greenbul)
Genus Chlorocichla
Genus Ixonotus (Spotted Greenbul)
Genus Baeopogon
Genus Bleda (Bristlebills)
Genus Neolestes