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Orange-spotted Bulbul Pycnonotus bimaculatus Scientific name definitions

Lincoln Fishpool, Joseph A. Tobias, and Guy M. Kirwan
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated July 3, 2017

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Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Field Identification

20 cm. Dark-coloured, active, conspicuous uncrested bulbul with rounded tail. Nominate race has crown blackish brown, lightly fringed greyish; head mostly dark, blackest on lores and centre of forehead, with bright orange supraloral tuft of short bristle-like feathers, a smaller yellow-orange spot over eye; large ear-covert patch pale yellow with greenish tinge; upperparts plain brown; wings dark brown, prominently fringed bright olive on flight-feathers; tail dark brown, feathers fringed bright olive, outer ones tipped white; throat and upper breast dark brown, becoming mottled on lower breast; belly creamy white, vent and undertail-coverts bright yellow; iris red-brown or dark brown; bill black; legs black or dark grey. Sexes alike. Juvenile is duller, with dull brown iris. Race tenggerensis has smaller supraloral tuft, ear-covert patch mottled dark brown, duller green wing fringing.

Systematics History

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Until recently considered conspecific with P. snouckaerti (which see). As type of bimaculatus is from C (not E) Java, the name barat is a junior synonym of nominate; name tenggerensis must therefore be restored for the E Java race, which is weakly characterized. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies

Probably introduced on Lombok I.

SUBSPECIES

Pycnonotus bimaculatus bimaculatus Scientific name definitions

Pycnonotus bimaculatus bimaculatus
P. b. bimaculatus

Distribution

C and S Sumatra and W and C Java.
SUBSPECIES

Pycnonotus bimaculatus tenggerensis Scientific name definitions

Pycnonotus bimaculatus tenggerensis
P. b. tenggerensis

Distribution

E Java and Bali.

Distribution

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Habitat

Edges of primary forest, tall second growth, scrub and elfin forest near summit of mountains. Nests usually found in primary or secondary forest, or at edges and in shrubby clearings. From 800 m to 3000 m.

Movement

Resident. In non-breeding season, larger aggregations form locally, some of these gathering to roost communally.

Diet and Foraging

Essentially a frugivore. Visits berry-laden trees and shrubs, including blueberries (Vaccinium), in lower and middle storeys. Usually in pairs.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Noisy, giving variety of loud, harsh songs, including “toc-toc-toc-toroc” and loud clear “chewlk-chewlk-chewlk”, or “chuk-chuk-chooh-chewlewlewlew”. Sings often.

Breeding

Breeds throughout year; records from Java show that nesting occurs in all months, with peak in May. Nest a robustly built, cup-shaped structure, similar to that of congeners, placed 1–5 m above ground in tree or shrub. Clutch two eggs, sometimes three; no information on incubation and fledging periods.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife NT Near Threatened

Not globally threatened. Currently considered Near Threatened. Restricted-range species: present in Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia EBA and Java and Bali Forests EBA. Locally common. Prefers high-altitude forests, which are relatively secure, and tolerates highly degraded habitats, suggesting that it is not at any immediate risk. Large populations survive within Gunung Gede-Pangrango National Park, on Java, and Kerinci-Seblat National Park, on Sumatra, and the species is also known from Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, on the latter island. Some trapping for cagebird trade, e.g. > 1000 were observed in Sumatran bird markets during the period 1997–2001, and the species has recently apparently become far scarcer at sites on Sumatra in areas experiencing high trapping pressure.

Distribution of the Orange-spotted Bulbul (Orange-spotted) - Range Map
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  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Orange-spotted Bulbul (Orange-spotted)

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Fishpool, L., J. A. Tobias, and G. M. Kirwan (2020). Orange-spotted Bulbul (Pycnonotus bimaculatus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.orsbul3.01
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