Photo: Didier Descouens / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Common Bulbul
Pycnonotus barbatus
Common Bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Common Bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus) is a member of the Pycnonotidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 32.1 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 barbatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 32.1 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 Common Bulbul is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Common Bulbul is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Common Bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus) is a species of bird in the Pycnonotidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF widespread.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 32.1 g, with a wing length of about 9.4 cm and a tail of around 8.5 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 19.6 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Common Bulbul?
The Common Bulbul is a small bird that weighs around 32.1 g.
Where does the Common Bulbul live?
The Common Bulbul is found across Africa with a range covering AF widespread, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Common Bulbul belong to?
The Common Bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus) belongs to the Pycnonotidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Common Bulbul eat?
The Common Bulbul is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Common Bulbul migrate?
The Common Bulbul is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Common 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 Common Bulbul make?
1 real field recording of the Common Bulbul — including its begging call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Common Bulbul's range?
The Common Bulbul has a mapped global range of about 19.6 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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Guides for this bird
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