Lesser Bristlebill Bleda notatus Scientific name definitions

Until the mid 1990s, this attractively plumaged forest understory passerine was treated as conspecific with the Green-tailed Bristlebill (B. eximius), which occurs from Sierra Leone east to western Togo, and in southern Nigeria. In contrast, the Lesser (or Yellow-lored) Bristlebill is found from southeast Nigeria east to South Sudan and western Uganda, and south to northern Angola. Adding to the capacity for taxonomic upheaval, the two subspecies of Lesser Bristlebill might also be split as separate species, with some genetic evidence for such an arrangement, and their voices potentially also differ. This species is generally skulking and most frequently located by its distinctive vocalizations, which separate it from other bristlebills. Usually observed alone, in pairs or small family parties (the pair plus just one young) and sometimes with mixed-species foraging flocks; furthermore, this bulbul often attends certain ant swarms, although it is not dominant over other bird species. Most knowledge of this species’ ecology and natural history come from intensive studies of forest avifauna conducted more than 40 years ago in Gabon (the nominate subspecies).