Photo: Ariefrahman / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Sooty-headed Bulbul
Pycnonotus aurigaster
Sooty-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 7 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Sooty-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster) is a member of the Pycnonotidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 44.3 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 aurigaster
Quick facts
- Weight
- 44.3 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 Sooty-headed 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 Sooty-headed Bulbul is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Sooty-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster) is a species of bird in the Pycnonotidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR se Asia.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 44.3 g, with a wing length of about 9.2 cm and a tail of around 8.2 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 3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Sooty-headed Bulbul?
The Sooty-headed Bulbul is a small bird that weighs around 44.3 g.
Where does the Sooty-headed Bulbul live?
The Sooty-headed Bulbul is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR se Asia, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Sooty-headed Bulbul belong to?
The Sooty-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster) belongs to the Pycnonotidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Sooty-headed Bulbul eat?
The Sooty-headed Bulbul is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Sooty-headed Bulbul migrate?
The Sooty-headed Bulbul is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Sooty-headed 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 Sooty-headed Bulbul make?
1 real field recording of the Sooty-headed 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 Sooty-headed Bulbul's range?
The Sooty-headed Bulbul has a mapped global range of about 3 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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