Icterine Greenbul

Phyllastrephus icterinus

A relatively colorful greenbul with an olive-green back, yellowish underparts, and a rufous tail. Found in the understory and at middle levels of rainforest, usually in small flocks; readily joins mixed-species flocks. Very similar in appearance to Xavier’s Greenbul and best distinguished by voice, but is slightly smaller-billed and redder on the tail and uppertail coverts. Somewhat similar to Western Bearded and Yellow-bearded Greenbuls, but smaller, with much less contrast between the yellow throat and the rest of the underparts. The primary vocalization is a series of nasal notes that first speeds up, then slows down, unlike the more slowly delivered, nasal barking calls of Xavier’s Greenbul. 

Taxonomy

The icterine greenbul was originally described in the genus Trichophorus (a synonym for Criniger). The term icterine refers to its yellowish colouration. Formerly, some authorities have considered Sassi's greenbul to be a subspecies of the icterine greenbul. Alternate names for the icterine greenbul include the lesser icterine bulbul.<p>Until 2018, a rare colour morph of the icterine greenbul from the Cavalla forest in south-eastern Liberia was believed to be a separate species. The Liberian greenbul (Phyllastrephus leucolepis) was known from only a few sightings between 1981 and 1984, and a specimen collected in 1984. This specimen is now considered to have been a plumage aberration. A 2017 DNA analysis revealed that the bird(s) were common icterine greenbuls, albeit with unusual plumage colouring, which may have been caused by a nutritional deficiency. Alternative names for the Liberian greenbul included the spot-winged bulbul, spot-winged greenbul and white-winged greenbul.

Scientific name
Phyllastrephus icterinus
Authority
(Bonaparte, 1850)
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Pycnonotidae
Genus
Phyllastrephus

Range and habitat

The icterine greenbul is found in Africa from Guinea to Ghana; southern Nigeria to western and southern Uganda, eastern and central Democratic Republic of the Congo and extreme north-western Angola. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and moist savanna.

Migration
Resident species

Conservation

Population trend
stable

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

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Icterine Greenbul | BirdLens