Photo: Charles Lam from Hong Kong, China / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-whiskered Bulbul
Pycnonotus jocosus
Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus) is a member of the Pycnonotidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 29.5 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 jocosus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 29.5 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Pycnonotidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-whiskered 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-whiskered Bulbul is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus) is a species of bird in the Pycnonotidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR widespread.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 29.5 g, with a wing length of about 8.7 cm and a tail of around 8.8 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 5.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-whiskered Bulbul?
The Red-whiskered Bulbul is a small bird that weighs around 29.5 g.
Where does the Red-whiskered Bulbul live?
The Red-whiskered Bulbul is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR widespread, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Red-whiskered Bulbul belong to?
The Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus) belongs to the Pycnonotidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Red-whiskered Bulbul eat?
The Red-whiskered Bulbul is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Red-whiskered Bulbul migrate?
The Red-whiskered Bulbul is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-whiskered 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-whiskered Bulbul make?
1 real field recording of the Red-whiskered 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-whiskered Bulbul's range?
The Red-whiskered Bulbul has a mapped global range of about 5.2 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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Guides for this bird
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