Black-crested Bulbul (Rubigula flaviventris)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Black-crested Bulbul

Rubigula flaviventris (Tickell, 1833)

≈18 cmLength29 gWeight

This bulbul has a crested black head, pale yellowish-white eyes, greenish-yellow upperparts and yellow underparts.

Busiest months: February · Most records: Thailand, India, Malaysia

Least Concern

How to identify

Field marks

  1. Black head with a prominent crest
  2. Pale yellowish-white iris
  3. Greenish-yellow upperparts and yellow underparts
  4. Greenish-black tail; black bill, legs and feet

Male, female and young

Sexes similar in plumage; juveniles slightly duller.

Where and when it's recorded

Black-crested Bulbul has been recorded at 385 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 12 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Kaeng Krachan NPThailand1,377 records
  2. Khao Yai NPThailand1,190 records
  3. Kaeng Krachan NP – Ban Krang CampgroundsThailand1,163 records
More places
  1. Kaeng Krachan NP – km 9 vicinityThailand1,075 records
  2. Garbhanga Reserve ForestIndia928 records
  3. Taksin Maharat NP – headquarters vicinityThailand924 records
  4. Khao Yai NP – headquarters vicinityThailand898 records
  5. Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary – Wat Tham Pha PlongThailand864 records
  6. Kaeng Krachan NP – stream crossings 1–3Thailand858 records
  7. Mahananda WLS – Rongtong and Shivakhola ForestIndia858 records

Countries and regions with the most records

ThailandIndiaMalaysiaVietnamCambodiaChinaBangladeshSingapore

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The black-crested bulbul (Rubigula flaviventris) is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found from the Indian subcontinent to southeast Asia.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Black-crested Bulbul?

The Black-crested Bulbul is about ≈18 cm long and weighs around 29 g.

Where does the Black-crested Bulbul live?

Its breeding range: Oriental: northern, northeastern India to Southeast Asia. It is most often recorded in Thailand, India and Malaysia.

When is the best time to see the Black-crested Bulbul?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in February (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Black-crested Bulbul endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Black-crested Bulbul as Least Concern.

What does the Black-crested Bulbul eat?

Main food: Fruit.

What family is the Black-crested Bulbul in?

It belongs to the family Bulbuls (Pycnonotidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length
≈18 cm
Weight
29 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Fruit
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
88 mm
Tail
88 mm
Bill
15 mm
Tarsus
15 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Oriental: northern, northeastern India to Southeast Asia

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Subspecies · 2
  • Rubigula flaviventris flaviventris Nepal, n, e India to s China and c Myanmar
  • Rubigula flaviventris vantynei e, s Myanmar to s China and n Indochina

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Bulbuls Pycnonotidae
Genus
Rubigula

Other birds in the genus Rubigula

Flame-throated BulbulFlame-throated BulbulRubigula gularisBlack-capped BulbulBlack-capped BulbulRubigula melanicteraRuby-throated BulbulRuby-throated BulbulRubigula disparBornean BulbulBornean BulbulRubigula montisSombre GreenbulSombre GreenbulAndropadus importunusSlender-billed GreenbulSlender-billed GreenbulStelgidillas gracilirostrisGolden GreenbulGolden GreenbulCalyptocichla serinusBlack-collared BulbulBlack-collared BulbulNeolestes torquatusRed-tailed BristlebillRed-tailed BristlebillBleda syndactylusGreen-tailed BristlebillGreen-tailed BristlebillBleda eximius
Black-crested Bulbul

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