White-eared Bulbul Pycnonotus leucotis Scientific name definitions

17·5–19 cm; 18–28 g (nominate), 29–35 g (mesopotamia). Medium-sized, lively, conspicuous bulbul, virtually uncrested. Has black head and throat , with large white patch on side of head; upperparts relatively pale grey, becoming even paler on rump; breast also relatively pale, hardly darker than lower underparts; vent and undertail-coverts bright orange-yellow; iris dark brown or hazel, pale bare eyering dull greyish to dull yellowish; bill blackish-horn; legs bluish-grey to slaty black. Differs from rather similar P. leucogenys in slightly smaller size, lack of crest, thicker and shorter bill, and colour of vent. Sexes similar. Juvenile has brown replacing black on head, and paler body, wings and tail, paler yellow undertail-coverts. Race <em>mesopotamia</em> is on average slightly larger than nominate, with longer wing and tail, larger and stouter bill, yellow eyering .

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• Red-vented x White-eared Bulbul (hybrid) Pycnonotus cafer x leucotis

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.

Dry woodland, thorn-scrub, semi-desert scrub (with Capparis, Salvadora and Carissa bushes), riverine shrubbery, mangroves, palm groves (sometimes small and isolated), gardens, agricultural land and orchards. Sometimes frequents tall reedbeds, especially when roosting. Often breeds in Euphorbia woodland. In Pakistan the dominant bird in Olea cuspidata and Dodonaea viscosa scrub. Lowlands, rarely to 2100 m; usually replaced at higher altitudes by P. leucogenys in Pakistan and India, and by P. xanthopygos in Oman.

Largely resident, but subject to local movements; poorly understood seasonal migrations. In lower-lying regions of N & C Pakistan large numbers of non-breeding visitors augment resident population in winter, or arrive where no breeding population present. Summer visitor in Chitral (Hindu Kush), in NW Pakistan, arriving Mar and leaving Oct. Around NE shores of Persian Gulf, arrives in numbers in Sept, and leaves again in Jun. In Iraq and Iran, occurs in small, very isolated date palm groves in open desert, suggesting that it disperses well across inhospitable country. Records from Israel and Jordan possibly refer to escaped captives.

Feeds on fruit (including Capparis, Ziziphus, Salvadora) and buds, also nectar (e.g. Capparis); also large amounts of invertebrate food, including caterpillars and alate ants (Hymenoptera) and termites (Isoptera). Usually encountered in pairs or small groups, sometimes in flocks of 20–30 individuals. Often descends to the ground in quick sallies, or hops around for more extended periods, to feed on insects, seeds and other items; probes flowers to feed on nectar, or on the insects gathered there. Flying ants and termites often caught in short, clumsy aerial sallies.

Song a brief, rapid complex chatter, sometimes preceded by a few dry chirps; generally quicker, harder and less squawky than song of P. leucogenys, and much clearer and less guttural, includes more notes than song of P. cafer and does not descend strongly. Sometimes contains segments of mimicry. Calls a short, slightly harsh and nasal “nyuk, nyuk”, or mellow “pip” and “pip-pip”.

Feb–Sept; usually Apr–Jul in Iraq and Jul–Sept in India (Punjab and Gujarat). Trios of adults regularly seen during breeding season, suggesting that some possible communal breeding with helpers, but verification needed. Display includes spreading and fluttering of wings and tail by male, and fanning of bright vent plumage. Nest a simple but firmly built cup-shaped structure, composed of fine twigs, rootlets, grass and other plant fibres, sometimes unlined, usually neatly lined with slender fibres; both partners visit nest-site together during building phase, but only one (presumably female) brings material, suggesting that male mate-guards female during fertile period; nest usually fairly low, 0·8–3·2 m above ground (average 1·36 m for 20 nests in Iraq), and in huge variety of situations, most often in almost any type of shrub or small tree available, including bramble (Rubus), Tamarix, Capparis, Ziziphus, Dodonaea, Acacia nilotica, Prosopis, Lagerstroemia, citrus tree, date palm (Arecaceae), pomegranate (Punicaceae), mulberry bush (Moraceae), poplar (Salicaceae), Eucalyptus, often in candelabra-like stems of Euphorbia caducifolia; in Iraq sometimes in tall “sarkanda” (Saccharum spontaneum) grass and, perhaps regularly, in reedbeds alongside R Euphrates; more unusually, in tall broad-bean crop, on limestone rock ledge, on verandah, under eaves, in Bougainvillea growing against house, in wall of reed hut, in reed frame supporting melon plants, and inside building. Clutch 2–4 eggs, usually 3, extremely rarely 5; incubation by female, period 13–14 days in Pakistan, 10·5–12·5 days in Iraq; chicks fed by both sexes, nestling period 9–11 days in Iraq. Of 19 nests in Iraq, only three (16%) produced young; predation by crows (Corvidae) probably high, as many nests poorly concealed.

Not globally threatened. Locally common and conspicuous in many regions, including N India, much of Pakistan (e.g. Baluchistan), S Iraq and lower reaches of R Euphrates. Previously common (the “very commonest bird”) in Sind (Pakistan), but now quite scarce and replaced in urban and irrigated areas by P. cafer. This species is commensal with man and faces no threats, apart from irrigation of a few desert regions.