Light-vented bulbul
The light-vented bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis), also called the Chinese bulbul, Japanese bulbul and white-vented bulbul. is a kind of bird in the bulbul family found in central and southern China, Hong Kong, Macao, northern Vietnam, southern Japan and Taiwan, and sometimes South Korea. A common kind of songbird that likes areas of light woods, it can often be seen in towns, suburbs and parks within its range.
Classification and relationships
The light-vented bulbul was first thought to be an Old World flycatcher and put into the group Muscicapa.
Subspecies
The bird is split into four subspecies:
P. s. sinensis (Gmelin, JF, 1789) - Found in central and eastern China.
P. s. hainanus (Swinhoe, 1870) - First described as another bird in the group Ixos. Found in southeastern China and northern Vietnam.
P. s. formosae Hartert, E, 1910 - Found on Taiwan.
P. s. orii Kuroda, 1923 - Found on Yonaguni, Okinawa, Iriomote and Ishigaki Islands (southern Ryukyu Islands).
Description
The light-vented bulbul has a large white patch covering the nape and the sides of its black head. It also sings sweetly with a cha-ko-lee. . . cha-ko-lee. . . sound. It has a white color from the back of its eyes to the back of its head.
Range and habitat
In Hong Kong, the light-vented bulbul is common in lightly wooded areas, farmland and shrubland, whereas the red-whiskered bulbul is the common bulbul of suburbs and town parks.
In Taiwan, however, the light-vented bulbul is the most common in all of these landscapes, except on the east coast where the Styan' s bulbul is found instead. Chinese bulbuls are seen commonly in Shanghai, and are maybe the third most common bird after sparrows and mourning doves. .
References
Other websites
Birds of Love River: Chinese bulbul - Pycnonotus sinensis
Birds Korea
Birds of Asia
Birds of China
Passeri