Finsch's Bulbul Iole finschii Scientific name definitions

16.5–17 cm; 22–25 g. Medium-sized, dull, unobtrusive bulbul with distinctively short bill. Side of head is brownish olive, greenish tint on ear-coverts and neck side; cap to uppertail-coverts warm brownish olive, tail-coverts slightly rufous-tinged; upperwing similar, outer webs of tertials and secondaries brighter and fringed distinctly olive, primaries brownish olive with green tinge on outer webs; tail uniform dark olive-brown with chestnut tint; chin and throat creamy yellow, forming triangular patch (often puffed out); breast light olive with creamy-yellow feather fringing, darkening to dull gray-green at side and on flanks; belly and undertail-coverts plain creamy yellow, brighter on belly; iris pale yellowish brown to orange-brown; maxilla blackish, mandible plumbeous; legs dark horn to reddish brown. Sexes alike. Juvenile apparently very similar to adult.

Highly divergent in morphology, behavior and voice, and may merit isolation in monotypic genus; thorough review needed. Putative subspecies theiodes (= theoides) only very weakly differentiated. Monotypic.

Extreme southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo.

Usually in primary and selectively logged evergreen forest in lowlands, avoiding heavily logged sites and younger regrowth, but entering secondary growth and mature or overgrown plantations (e.g., cocoa and Albizia). Visits forest edges, particularly where fruiting trees abound, but generally avoids isolated trees and larger clearings. From near sea-level to 760 m in Peninsular Malaysia, to 650 m in Sumatra, and to 900 m on Borneo (where it appears to be more common in foothill habitats).

Presumably resident.

A generalist; eats fruit and insects. Especially fond of berries of Trema and figs of riverside banyans (e.g., Ficus microcarpa); also tall, canopy-cropping fig species, including six of 25 species of Ficus (in mean minimum fruit-diameter range 5.4–14.8 mm) in study at Kerau, in Peninsular Malaysia. Usually found singly or in pairs, but occasionally in small parties of up to eight individuals. Forages at all levels, including emergent crowns, but mostly in middle story and subcanopy; comes lower to fruiting shrubs, saplings and vines, and sometimes visits ladang (traditional shrubby agricultural fields) during mass fruiting events. Sometimes accompanies high-level mixed-species foraging flocks, and makes short sallies after large insects from low or high perches.

Not well known. Usually very quiet, but said to give simple series of notes, transcribed as “choi-choi-chong-choi, choi-choi”, and a “very musical and pleasant song” (Borneo); existence of this song debatable, and description should be regarded as provisional. Contact calls between foragers include subdued “wek” or “twut”, sometimes given in flight; also has loud, nasal, explosive “hwuiikt” and harsh grating “screee” notes, probably as alarm.

Recorded in March–July. Nest built by both pair-members; nest undescribed, but pair in mature forest gathered material at canopy level; probably nests higher above ground than do most bulbuls. Fledglings tended by both parents. No other information.

Not globally threatened. Currently considered Near Threatened. Generally uncommon or rare; possibly overlooked. Status in Sumatra was, until recently, enigmatic; apart from 12 specimens taken in north of island, the species is now known from central Sumatra, where seen several times near Kerinci-Seblat National Park (in Jambi province) in 1996. Occurs in a range of protected areas, including Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary, in Thailand, Taman Negara National Park and Kerau Wildlife Reserve, in Peninsular Malaysia, and, in Borneo, Danum Valley Conservation Area (Sabah) and Gunung Palung National Park (Kalimantan). In all these areas it is rare or difficult to find, perhaps being most common at Kerau. Because it is restricted to closed-canopy forest at relatively low altitudes, it is more susceptible than are most species to the deforestation which continues apace in the Sundaic realm.