Puff-throated Bulbul Alophoixus pallidus Scientific name definitions

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Puff-throated Bulbul (Puff-throated)

22–25 cm; 41–52 g. Large, noisy, conspicuous bulbul , crown feathers elongated to form distinct, moderately pointed crest, often raised, elongated throat feathers often puffed out as if combed the wrong way. Nominate race has forehead, crown and nape greyish brown, lores, cheeks and ear-coverts dusky whitish grey; upperparts, including lesser wing-coverts, dull olive-green, uppertail-coverts with slight rufescent tinge; tail ­feathers rufous-brown, outer webs fringed olive-green with rufescent tinge; greater and median wing-coverts brown, slightly rufescent, fringed dull olive-green; flight-feathers pale brown on inner webs, slightly rufescent olive-green on outer webs, most obviously on secondaries and tertials; chin and throat white, breast and belly pale ochraceous-yellow, duskier on sides and flanks; vent and undertail-coverts pale ochraceous-buff; iris greyish brown to light umber (possibly age-related difference); bill bluish grey, darker on culmen and tip of maxilla, paler base and cutting edges; legs pinkish brown, claws pale horn. Distinguished from A. flaveolus by much less yellow underparts, off-white throat, buffier undertail-coverts and duskier head-sides; from A. ochraceus by darker underparts, usually with stronger yellow infusion. Sexes alike. Juvenile resembles adult, but upperparts and underparts slightly paler and brighter, with slight gold suffusion, throat feathers shorter and eyes probably duller. Race robinsoni has duller yellow underparts, duller olive upperparts, less contrast between head and mantle; henrici is relatively large, with white throat and pale underparts ; <em>isani</em> is similar to previous, but differs in having the olivaceous brown of mantle paler and greyer; <em>annamensis</em> is also similar, but smaller, with slightly darker, yellower underparts, stronger olive wash on upperparts; and khmerensis has slightly darker breast and flanks, deeper yellow abdomen, and stronger chestnut tone on upperparts.

Puff-throated Bulbul (Gray-crowned)

22–25 cm. Large, noisy, conspicuous bulbul, crown feathers elongated to form distinct, moderately pointed crest, often raised, elongated throat feathers often puffed out as if combed the wrong way. Compared to previously conspecific A. pallidus (see Taxonomy), adult is greener above, with greyer crown, more whitish-grey lores and ear-coverts, much yellower breast and belly, and deeper yellowish-buff undertail-coverts. Sexes alike. Juvenile apparently undescribed.

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Puff-throated Bulbul (Puff-throated)

Puff-throated Bulbul (Gray-crowned)

Puff-throated Bulbul (Gray-crowned)

S Myanmar (Pegu Yomas).

Puff-throated Bulbul (Puff-throated)

Broadleaf evergreen forest and open woodland in lowlands and foothills, locally up to 1800 m. Recent study Thailand found that the species does not preferentially use small treefall gaps in the forest and probably avoids them, but it appears to use areas immediately surrounding gaps more than expected particularly in breeding season (1 Khamcha, D., and G. A. Gale (2012). The use of tree-fall gaps by a forest interior avian frugivore in a tropical evergreen forest. Forktail 28:53–56. Close ).

Puff-throated Bulbul (Gray-crowned)

Puff-throated Bulbul (Puff-throated)

Apparently resident.

Puff-throated Bulbul (Gray-crowned)

Puff-throated Bulbul (Puff-throated)

Diet mainly berries, although some insects taken, including cicadas; will also take nectar, but much less often than do Hypsipetes species, and has also been observed predating eggs at other birds’ nests (2 Pierce, A. J., and K. Pobprasert (2013). Nest predators of southeast Asian evergreen forest birds identified through continuous video recording. Ibis 155(2):419–423. Close ). Usually found in midstorey of forests, often in small vociferous groups of 3–6.

Puff-throated Bulbul (Gray-crowned)

No known differences from A. pallidus, but very few data are available.

Puff-throated Bulbul (Puff-throated)

Foraging parties give loud scolding calls semi-constantly; no identifiable song. Usual vocalization a harsh , raucous, abrupt “churt churt churt…, chutt-chutt-chutt…”, or “chutt-chutt, chik-it chik-it”. Also reported to give weak “twee, twee, twee”.

Puff-throated Bulbul (Gray-crowned)

Vocalizations apparently undescribed; no known differences from those of A. pallidus.

Puff-throated Bulbul (Puff-throated)

Breeds Feb–Sept. Best known from observations in Thailand. Those at three nests suggested that three adults fed the young, suggesting that co-operative breeding is the usual strategy (3 Pierce, A. J., K. Tokue, K. Pobprasert, and W. Sankamethawee (2007). Cooperative breeding in the Puff-throated Bulbul Alophoixus pallidus in Thailand. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 55(1):187–189. Close ), and other research indicates that young from previous broods act as helpers (4 Sankamethawee, W., B. D. Hardesty, and G. A. Gale (2010). Sex-bias and timing of natal dispersal in cooperatively breeding Puff-throated Bulbuls Alophoixus pallidus. Journal of Ornithology 151(4):779–789. Close ); further study required. However, at those nests where cooperative behaviour was observed, just one female was responsible for nestbuilding, incubation and brooding (3 Pierce, A. J., K. Tokue, K. Pobprasert, and W. Sankamethawee (2007). Cooperative breeding in the Puff-throated Bulbul Alophoixus pallidus in Thailand. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 55(1):187–189. Close ). Nest a fairly deep neat cup made from dry leaves, lined with fine aerial roots of woody climbers, held together by, and attached to branch at rim with, spider webs and fine, black, hair-like fibres of fungal mycelium; in Thailand placed 0·5–15 m (3 Pierce, A. J., K. Tokue, K. Pobprasert, and W. Sankamethawee (2007). Cooperative breeding in the Puff-throated Bulbul Alophoixus pallidus in Thailand. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 55(1):187–189. Close ) (although mean just 1·8 m) (2 Pierce, A. J., and K. Pobprasert (2013). Nest predators of southeast Asian evergreen forest birds identified through continuous video recording. Ibis 155(2):419–423. Close ) up in horizontal fork of small branch of sapling or in fallen branch of larger tree. Clutch 2–3 eggs, whitish to pale cream with dark rusty-red blotches concentrated at larger end; incubation period 12–14 days (3 Pierce, A. J., K. Tokue, K. Pobprasert, and W. Sankamethawee (2007). Cooperative breeding in the Puff-throated Bulbul Alophoixus pallidus in Thailand. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 55(1):187–189. Close ); nestling period 10–11 days. In a study in NE Thailand post-fledging survival was strongly associated with age though not with the presence of helpers; weekly survival was lowest during the first week post-fledging (0·73 ± 0·08), while average weekly survival during the seven subsequent weeks was constant at 0·97 ± 0·01 (5 Sankamethawee, W., G. A. Gale, and B. D. Hardesty (2009). Post-fledging survival of the cooperatively breeding Puff-throated Bulbul (Alophoixus pallidus). Condor 111(4):675–683. Close ). Males that fledge earlier in breeding season exhibit higher rates of philopatry than males that fledge later, but no correlation between fledging date and philopatry is observed in females, with probability of remaining in natal territory during second year 0·58 ± 0·14 and 0·05 ± 0·04 for males and females, respectively, and females also disperse than males once they move (4 Sankamethawee, W., B. D. Hardesty, and G. A. Gale (2010). Sex-bias and timing of natal dispersal in cooperatively breeding Puff-throated Bulbuls Alophoixus pallidus. Journal of Ornithology 151(4):779–789. Close ).

Puff-throated Bulbul (Gray-crowned)

Puff-throated Bulbul (Puff-throated)

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Very common in S China and on Hainan; common in most other parts of its range, including S Myanmar, much of Thailand and N Laos. Seems to tolerate a fair degree of habitat disturbance, and therefore not considered to be at any risk.

Puff-throated Bulbul (Gray-crowned)

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Considered to be common, but very few data available. Restricted-range species: probably more or less confined to the Irrawaddy plains EBA, with an overall range estimated at just 13,600 km². This species is one of among several recently elevated by taxonomic revisions that greatly emphasises the importance of this EBA. Population believed to be stable. Seems to tolerate a fair degree of habitat disturbance, and therefore not considered to be at any risk.