Bornean Bulbul

Rubigula montis

Attractive and distinctive bulbul. Olive-yellow back, bright yellow throat and underparts, and black head with upright crest. A species of hill and submontane forests and forest edge; restricted to northern and central Borneo. Often encountered in degraded or regenerating forest. Commonly perches out in fairly open areas. Gives short series of bright “jyep” notes.

Identification

The Bornean bulbul has a black crest, yellow throat, and brownish eyes.

Taxonomy

The Bornean bulbul was previously placed in genus Pycnonotus. This genus was found to be polyphyletic in recent molecular phylogenetic studies and five bulbul species, including the Bornean bulbul, moved to Rubigula.<p>Until 2008, the Bornean bulbul was considered as conspecific with the black-capped, black-crested, ruby-throated and flame-throated bulbuls. Some authorities have considered the Bornean bulbul to be a subspecies of the black-capped bulbul.

Scientific name
Rubigula montis
Authority
Sharpe, 1879
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Pycnonotidae
Genus
Rubigula

Range and habitat

This is a bird of forest and dense scrub. It builds its nest in a bush; two to four eggs are a typical clutch.

Migration
Resident species

Behavior

Migration pattern: Resident species.

Conservation

Population trend: declining.

Population trend
declining

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

Red-headed Trogon

Red-headed Trogon

Harpactes erythrocephalus

A brightly-colored bird of dense evergreen forests, usually seen perched quietly on a mid-story perch. Varies in coloration throughout its range but always follows the same general color scheme: male has a dark red head and belly, a brown back, and barred black-and-white wings. Female has a more faded-red belly and a brown head. Both sexes, when seen from below, have a sharply contrasting and graduated black-and-white tail pattern. Sluggish and typically stationary and difficult to see; listen for its high-pitched gulping hoots. 

Zimmer's Tody-Tyrant

Zimmer's Tody-Tyrant

Hemitriccus minimus

Very small flycatcher with a long thin bill and yellow eyes. Brownish-olive above and olive-buff below with indistinct dusky streaks. Note the two distinct yellow wingbars. Found mostly in forests on poor-quality soils, such as white-sand forests. The song is a ringing trill “Trieeee.” Similar to Snethlage’s Tody-Tyrant, but Zimmer’s has more distinct wingbars and a very different song.

Abyssinian Catbird

Abyssinian Catbird

Sylvia galinieri

An unusual and distinctive warbler of the Ethiopian highlands. Mostly gray with chestnut under the tail, a red eye, black between the eye and bill, and a white patch above the eye. Found in dry montane juniper and hagenia forest. Easily separated from other gray warblers by the dark gray underparts and rufous undertail. Sometimes skulking, but will sing in the open; the male’s song is an explosive, variable combination of musical, fluted notes, usually accompanied by low ratcheting from the female. 

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