African red-eyed bulbul explained

The African red-eyed bulbul or black-fronted bulbul (Pycnonotus nigricans) is a species of songbird in the family Pycnonotidae.It is found in south-western Africa.Its natural habitats are dry savanna, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and riverine scrub.^{[1] [2]} It feeds on fruit (including Ficus), flowers, nectar, and insects.

Description

The African red-eyed bulbul ranges from 19 to 21 centimeters (7-8 inches) in length and weighs 30-48 grams (1-1.7 ounces). Its call is a series of loud fluty notes, usually given only by the male.

Taxonomy and systematics

The African red-eyed bulbul was originally described in the genus Turdus. The African red-eyed bulbul is considered to belong to a superspecies along with the Himalayan bulbul, white-eared bulbul, white-spectacled bulbul, Cape bulbul, and the common bulbul.^[3] The alternate name of 'red-eyed bulbul' is also used by the Asian red-eyed bulbul.

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized:^[4]

• P. n. nigricans – (Vieillot, 1818): Found in south-western Angola, Namibia and Botswana and western South Africa
• P. n. superior – Clancey, 1959: Found in central South Africa

External links

• African red-eyed bulbul – Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Black-fronted Bulbul (Pycnonotus nigricans). hbw.com. en. 2018-02-21.
2. Book: Sinclair, Ian. Complete photographic field guide birds of Southern Africa. Ryan. Peter. Struik Nature. 2009.
3. Web site: Himalayan Bulbul (Pycnonotus leucogenys). hbw.com. en. 2017-03-23.
4. Web site: Bulbuls « IOC World Bird List. worldbirdnames.org. en-US. 2017-03-26.