Photo: Hans Hillewaert / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
African Red-eyed Bulbul
Pycnonotus nigricans
African Red-eyed Bulbul (Pycnonotus nigricans) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The African Red-eyed Bulbul (Pycnonotus nigricans) is a member of the Pycnonotidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 30.8 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 nigricans
Quick facts
- Weight
- 30.8 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Pycnonotidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The African Red-eyed Bulbul is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The African Red-eyed Bulbul is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The African Red-eyed Bulbul (Pycnonotus nigricans) belongs to the Pycnonotidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF sw.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 30.8 g, with a wing length of about 9.3 cm and a tail of around 7.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the African Red-eyed Bulbul?
The African Red-eyed Bulbul is a small bird that weighs around 30.8 g.
Where does the African Red-eyed Bulbul live?
The African Red-eyed Bulbul is found across Africa with a range covering AF sw, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the African Red-eyed Bulbul belong to?
The African Red-eyed Bulbul (Pycnonotus nigricans) belongs to the Pycnonotidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the African Red-eyed Bulbul eat?
The African Red-eyed Bulbul is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the African Red-eyed Bulbul migrate?
The African Red-eyed Bulbul is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the African Red-eyed 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 African Red-eyed Bulbul make?
1 real field recording of the African Red-eyed Bulbul can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the African Red-eyed Bulbul's range?
The African Red-eyed Bulbul has a mapped global range of about 2.1 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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