Mountain Bulbul

Ixos mcclellandii

True to its name, tends to be found in the upper reaches of forested hills and mountains. Olive-green overall, with lighter orange-buff to grayish underparts (depending on subspecies), and a streaky gray throat. Crested head, similar size, and pale throat can cause it to superficially resemble Chestnut Bulbul in poor lighting, but Mountain Bulbul has a longer-billed and paler-faced appearance. Large flocks are loud and easily detected as they fly overhead, giving sharp, repetitive, echoing calls, which can be likened to “zyi-zya” or “zya-zya”. Song is a prolonged, repetitive series of call notes.

Taxonomy

The mountain bulbul was originally described in the genus Hypsipetes in 1840 by Thomas Horsfield. Alternate names for the mountain bulbul include the green-winged bulbul, McClelland's bulbul, McClelland's rufous-bellied bulbul, mountain streaked bulbul, and rufous-bellied bulbul. The common name, 'mountain bulbul', is also used as an alternate name for the Cameroon greenbul.<p>Nine subspecies are currently recognized:

Scientific name
Ixos mcclellandii
Authority
(Horsfield, 1840)
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Pycnonotidae
Genus
Ixos

Range and habitat

It is found from the Indian subcontinent and southern China through Indochina to the Malay Peninsula. Its natural habitat is broadleaved evergreen forests between 800m and 2590m ASL.

Migration
Vertical migration

Conservation

Population trend
stable

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

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