Togian Golden-Bulbul Hypsipetes aureus Scientific name definitions

21–22 cm. The Togian Golden-Bulbul is a large, conspicuous, olive and yellow bulbul with a long bill and weak rictal bristles. The adult has a dark olive green head and upperparts , with a slightly brighter rump and uppertail coverts, a golden yellow throat and underparts , slightly paler lores, and yellow-fringed rectrices. Sexes are alike. Juveniles are overall duller with paler irides.

The Togian Golden-Bulbul was until recently considered conspecific with Sula Golden-Bulbul (Hypsipetes longirostris), but this was split into five species (1 Collar, N. J., J. A. Eaton, and R. O. Hutchinson (2013). Species limits in the Golden Bulbul Alophoixus (Thapsinillas) affinis complex. Forktail 29:19–24. Close ) (now six). The present species geographically and morphologically differs from its closest form, Sula Golden-Bulbul, in its notably more golden-yellow underparts (2); its much-reduced yellow fringes on the tips and inner vanes of the rectrices (2); its vague half-wedge yellow lores below a very narrow blackish-brown frontal supercilial line; its notably darker olive-green crown (2); its rump that is a shade yellower and less green (ns[1]); its shorter bill (sample size very small; allow 1); and, its apparently distinctive vocalizations (2 Eaton, J. A., B. van Balen, N. W. Brickle, and F. E. Rheindt (2016). Birds of the Indonesian Archipelago: Greater Sundas and Wallacea. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Close ).

This species is found on Togian Island in the Gulf of Tomini, off Eastern Central Sulawesi.

The Togian Golden-Bulbul occurs in primary, secondary, and degraded forests, as well as mixed plantations from sea level to the hills.

There is no information on diet. It is usually observed in pairs or small groups of fewer than ten individuals.

Its song (xeno-canto: XC89647) is a rapid series of sharp notes followed by a loud jumble of short whistles that accelerate and trail off over the latter half. The song is rendered as didlyDOOdidlyDOOdidlyDOOdoodododo. Its call is a short sharp charp or a repeated nasal single-noted ngaaat uttered in flight.

The Togian Golden-Bulbul is not globally threatened (Least Concern). It is a restricted-range species: confined to a single-island group in the Sulawesi Endemic Bird Area. It is fairly common, known to be in at least Togian Island, Batudaka Island, Malenge Island, and Walea Bahi.