White-spectacled Bulbul - Pycnonotus xanthopygos

White-spectacled Bulbul

Pycnonotus xanthopygos

Order : Passeriformes

Family : Pycnonotidae ;

Biometrics :

Size : 19 cm
Wingspan : 26 à 31 cm
Weight : 31 à 43 gr

Longevity : 8 years

IUCN conservation status :

Extinct

Threatened

Least
concern

Extinc
in the Wild

Near
threatened

Not
evaluated

EX EW CR EN VU NT LC NE

Geographic range :

Synonyms : Bulbul Arabe (es), Bulbul capinero (it), Gelbsteißbülbül (al), Arabische buulbuul (nl), White-spectacled Bulbul (en)

Physical description :
White-spectacled bulbul is easily identified by its combination of yellow undertail coverts, complete sooty hood, cleanly demarcated on upper breast, and whitish eye-ring. Underparts are whitish, except yellow vent. Tail shows only a hint of whitish corners. It has dusky bill and legs. Both sexes are similar.
Juvenile has browner hood and more inconspicuous eye-ring than adults.

Voice : White-spectacled bulbul's song is a fluty, bubbling repeated phrase 'whee-too-too', with variants. Calls include a harsh, sharp 'weck'.

Habitat : White-spectacled bulbul lives in Mediterranean and Subtropical areas. It ranges from sea-level to above 2000 metres on moist highlands. It lives in gardens, palm groves, cultivation with trees and bushes, well-vegetated wadis and gorges, chiefly in coastal strip.
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE: White-spectacled bulbul is the only bulbul over most the Middle East. It breeds in Middle East from Central and Southern Turkey, Western, Central and Southern Arabia, Western Syria, Lebanon, Western Jordan, Israel and Sinai.

Behaviour : White-spectacled bulbul feeds mainly at dusk. Insects are often taken in flight, by swooping up like Bee-eater, from tree perch. It feeds also by perching from foliage, sometimes in brief hover.
This bird is apparently sedentary.

Flight : White-spectacled bulbul has an agile flight, when it catches insects, and hovers in foliage.

Reproduction-nesting : White-spectacled bulbul's nest is located in bush or low palm. It's a small cup of thin twigs, grass stems, moss and leaves, and sometimes some string and wool. Nest is lined with hair, shredded bark and rootlets.
Female lays 2 to 4 eggs smooth and glossy, light violet to pinkish-white, spotted and speckled with violet or red-brown and grey.
Incubation lasts about 14 days.

Food habits : White-spectacled bulbul eats primarily fruit, seeds and insects, occasionally leaves, flowers and nectar.

Protection / threats : White-spectacled bulbul populations are not globally threatened, even if these birds make some damages in fruit plants.

Other links :
Iucn
Birdlife

Specification sheet created by Nicole Bouglouan

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Updated on 2008/04/29 05:36:33 - © 1996-2008 Oiseaux.net