Photo: K. Hari Krishnan / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-vented Bulbul
Pycnonotus cafer
Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer) is a member of the Pycnonotidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 42.9 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Pycnonotidae Bulbuls
- Genus Pycnonotus
- Species cafer
Quick facts
- Weight
- 42.9 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Pycnonotidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-vented Bulbul is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Red-vented Bulbul is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer) is a species of bird in the Pycnonotidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Himalayas, India, Myanmar.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 42.9 g, with a wing length of about 9.5 cm and a tail of around 8.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 4.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-vented Bulbul?
The Red-vented Bulbul is a small bird that weighs around 42.9 g.
Where does the Red-vented Bulbul live?
The Red-vented Bulbul is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Himalayas, India, Myanmar, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Red-vented Bulbul belong to?
The Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer) belongs to the Pycnonotidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Red-vented Bulbul eat?
The Red-vented Bulbul is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Red-vented Bulbul migrate?
The Red-vented Bulbul is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-vented Bulbul endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Red-vented Bulbul make?
1 real field recording of the Red-vented Bulbul — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Red-vented Bulbul's range?
The Red-vented Bulbul has a mapped global range of about 4.2 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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