''Pycnonotus'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of frugivorous

passerine A passerine () is any bird of the order Passeriformes (; from Latin 'sparrow' and '-shaped'), which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds, passerines are distinguished from other orders of birds by t ...

birds in the bulbul family

Pycnonotidae The bulbuls are members of a family, Pycnonotidae, of medium-sized passerine songbirds, which also includes greenbuls, brownbuls, leafloves, and bristlebills. The family is distributed across most of Africa and into the Middle East, tropical Asi ...

Taxonomy and systematics

The genus ''Pycnonotus'' was introduced by the German zoologist

Friedrich Boie Friedrich Boie (4 June 1789 – 3 March 1870) was a German entomologist, herpetologist, ornithologist, and lawyer.Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University ...

in 1826 with the

Cape bulbul The Cape bulbul (''Pycnonotus capensis'') is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is an endemic resident breeder in coastal bush, open forest, gardens and fynbos in western and southern South Africa. This species nests mainly in t ...

as the

type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen ...

. The name of the genus combines the

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...

words ''puknos'' "thick" or "compact" and ''-nōtos'' "-backed". The genus contains the following 32 species: *

Cream-vented bulbul The cream-vented bulbul (''Pycnonotus simplex'') is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in south-eastern Asia from the Malay Peninsula to Borneo. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. Its ...

(''Pycnonotus simplex'') * Olive-winged bulbul (''Pycnonotus plumosus'') * Asian red-eyed bulbul (''Pycnonotus brunneus'') *

Straw-headed bulbul The straw-headed bulbul (''Pycnonotus zeylanicus'') is a species of songbird in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is found from the Malay Peninsula to Borneo. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or ...

(''Pycnonotus zeylanicus'') *

Cream-eyed bulbul The cream-eyed bulbul (''Pycnonotus pseudosimplex'') is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is endemic to the island of Borneo. It was formerly considered a white-eyed color morph of the red-eyed Bornean population of the cream ...

(''Pycnonotus pseudosimplex'') *

Ashy-fronted bulbul The ashy-fronted bulbul (''Pycnonotus cinereifrons'') is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is endemic to Palawan in the Philippines. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. Until 2010, the ashy-fr ...

(''Pycnonotus cinereifrons'') *

White-browed bulbul The white-browed bulbul (''Pycnonotus luteolus'') is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is a resident breeder in Sri Lanka and peninsular India. Largely olive coloured above with whitish underparts, it has a pale supercilium and ...

(''Pycnonotus luteolus'') *

Ayeyarwady bulbul The Ayeyarwady bulbul (''Pycnonotus blanfordi'') is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is endemic to Myanmar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest A forest is an area of land dominated by ...

(''Pycnonotus blanfordi'') * Streak-eared bulbul (''Pycnonotus conradi'') *

Stripe-throated bulbul The stripe-throated bulbul (''Pycnonotus finlaysoni''), or streak-throated bulbul, is a species of songbird in the bulbul family (biology), family of passerine birds. It is found in south-eastern Asia where its natural habitats are Tropical and s ...

(''Pycnonotus finlaysoni'') *

Flavescent bulbul The flavescent bulbul (''Pycnonotus flavescens'') is a species of songbird in the bulbul family of passerine birds. Its name comes from flavescent, a yellowish colour. It is found in south-eastern Asia. Taxonomy and systematics Alternate names ...

(''Pycnonotus flavescens'') * Aceh bulbul (''Pycnonotus snouckaerti'') *

Orange-spotted bulbul The orange-spotted bulbul (''Pycnonotus bimaculatus'') is a species of songbird in the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is endemic to Java, Bali and Sumatra. It favors forest edges and open meadows in montane forests. Taxonomy and systemati ...

(''Pycnonotus bimaculatus'') * Pale-faced bulbul (''Pycnonotus leucops'') *

Yellow-throated bulbul The yellow-throated bulbul (''Pycnonotus xantholaemus'') is a species of songbird in the bulbul family of passerine birds. The species is endemic to southern peninsular India. They are found on scrub habitats on steep, rocky hills many of which ...

(''Pycnonotus xantholaemus'') *

Yellow-eared bulbul The yellow-eared bulbul (''Pycnonotus penicillatus'') is a species of songbird in the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is an endemic resident breeder in the highlands of Sri Lanka. The common name is also used as an alternate name for the ye ...

(''Pycnonotus penicillatus'') * Brown-breasted bulbul (''Pycnonotus xanthorrhous'') *

Light-vented bulbul The light-vented bulbul (''Pycnonotus sinensis''), also called the Chinese bulbul, is a species of bird in the bulbul family found in central and southern China, Hong Kong, Macao, northern Vietnam, southern Japan and Taiwan, with occasional re ...

(''Pycnonotus sinensis'') *

Styan's bulbul Styan's bulbul (''Pycnonotus taivanus'', ) is an endemic species of bulbul found in eastern and southern Taiwan. Though common in some areas, it has been listed as a species vulnerable to extinction. Its decline has been caused by habitat destruc ...

(''Pycnonotus taivanus'') *

Red-whiskered bulbul The red-whiskered bulbul (''Pycnonotus jocosus''), or crested bulbul, is a passerine bird native to Asia. It is a member of the bulbul family. It is a resident frugivore found mainly in tropical Asia. It has been introduced in many tropical are ...

(''Pycnonotus jocosus'') *

Yellow-vented bulbul The yellow-vented bulbul (''Pycnonotus goiavier''), or eastern yellow-vented bulbul, is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is a resident breeder in southeastern Asia from Indochina to the Philippines. It is found in a wide vari ...

(''Pycnonotus goiavier'') *

Red-vented bulbul The red-vented bulbul (''Pycnonotus cafer'') is a member of the bulbul family of passerines. It is a resident breeder across the Indian subcontinent, including Sri Lanka extending east to Burma and parts of Bhutan and Nepal. It has been introduc ...

(''Pycnonotus cafer'') *

Sooty-headed bulbul The sooty-headed bulbul (''Pycnonotus aurigaster'') is a species of songbird in the Bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is found in south-eastern Asia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. Description A medium-sized s ...

(''Pycnonotus aurigaster'') *

White-eared bulbul The white-eared bulbul (''Pycnonotus leucotis'') is a member of the bulbul family. It is found in south-western Asia from India to the Arabian peninsula. Taxonomy and systematics The white-eared bulbul was originally described in the genus ''Ix ...

(''Pycnonotus leucotis'') *

Himalayan bulbul The Himalayan bulbul (''Pycnonotus leucogenys''), or white-cheeked bulbul, is a species of songbird in the bulbul family found in Central and South Asia. Taxonomy and systematics The Himalayan bulbul is considered to belong to a superspecies ...

(''Pycnonotus leucogenys'') *

White-spectacled bulbul The white-spectacled bulbul (''Pycnonotus xanthopygos'') is a member of the bulbul family. It is in length with a wingspan of . These birds live in fruit plantations, gardens, and cities. It is the most common member of the bulbul family in Isr ...

(''Pycnonotus xanthopygos'') *

African red-eyed bulbul The African red-eyed bulbul or black-fronted bulbul (''Pycnonotus nigricans'') is a species of songbird in the family Pycnonotidae. It is found in south-western Africa. Its natural habitats are dry savanna, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, ...

(''Pycnonotus nigricans'') *

Common bulbul The common bulbul (''Pycnonotus barbatus'') is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in north-eastern, northern, western and central Africa. Taxonomy and systematics The common bulbul was originally described in the genus ...

(''Pycnonotus barbatus'') * Dodson's bulbul (''Pycnonotus dodsoni'') *

Somali bulbul The Somali bulbul (''Pycnonotus somaliensis'') is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in north-eastern Africa. Taxonomy and systematics Some authorities treat the Somali bulbul as a subspecies of the common bulbul and ...

(''Pycnonotus somaliensis'') * Dark-capped bulbul (''Pycnonotus tricolor'') *

(''Pycnonotus capensis'')

Former species

In previous circumscriptions the genus ''Pycnonotus'' was considerably larger. Recent taxonomic revisions have seen many species transferred to other genera. In 2010, eighteen former ''Pycnonotus'' species were reclassified into different genera, either directly from ''Pycnonotus'' or from the genus '' Andropadus'', to which they had already been transferred by some authorities. These changes were as follows: * one species was transferred to genus Stelgidillas. **

Slender-billed greenbul The slender-billed greenbul (''Stelgidillas gracilirostris'') is a species in the monotypic genus ''Stelgidillas'' of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in western and central Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or trop ...

( former ''Pycnonotus gracilirostri'' or ''Pycnonotus gracilirostris'') * twelve species were transferred to genus

Arizelocichla ''Arizelocichla'' is a genus of greenbuls, songbirds in the bulbul family (Pycnonotidae). The genus was revived in 2010 when twelve species of bulbuls from the genus '' Andropadus'' were separated and re-classified in the genus ''Arizelocichla'' ...

: **

Shelley's greenbul Shelley's greenbul (''Arizelocichla masukuensis'') or Shelley's bulbul, is a species of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in east-central Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or trop ...

(former ''Pycnonotus masukuensis'') ** Kakamega greenbul (nominate) (former ''Pycnonotus kakamegae'') **

Cameroon greenbul The Cameroon greenbul (''Arizelocichla montana'') is a species of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in the Cameroonian Highlands forests. It is becoming rare due to habitat loss. Taxonomy and systematics The Cameroon greenbul was ...

(former ''Pycnonotus montanus'', as ''Arizelocichla montana'') **

Western greenbul The western greenbul (''Arizelocichla tephrolaema'') is a species of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in the Cameroonian Highlands forests. Taxonomy and systematics The western greenbul was originally described in the genus ''Tr ...

(former ''Pycnonotus tephrolaemus'') **

Olive-breasted greenbul The olive-breasted greenbul (''Arizelocichla kikuyuensis'') is a species of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, south-western and south-eastern Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and central Kenya. Ta ...

(former ''Pycnonotus tephrolaema'') **

Mountain greenbul The mountain greenbul (''Arizelocichla nigriceps''), or eastern mountain greenbul, is a species of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in eastern Africa. Taxonomy and systematics The mountain greenbul was originally described in th ...

(former ''Pycnonotus nigriceps'') **

Uluguru greenbul The Uluguru greenbul (''Arizelocichla neumanni'') is a species of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in eastern Tanzania. Taxonomy and systematics The Uluguru greenbul was originally described in the genus ''Arizelocichla'' in 19 ...

(former ''Pycnonotus neumanni'') **

Black-browed greenbul The black-browed greenbul (''Arizelocichla fusciceps'') is a species of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in south-eastern Africa from south-western Tanzania to north-eastern Zambia, Malawi and west-central Mozambique. Taxonomy ...

(former ''Pycnonotus fusciceps'') **

Yellow-throated greenbul The yellow-throated greenbul (''Arizelocichla chlorigula'') is a species of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is an African species found in east-central and southern Tanzania. Taxonomy and systematics The yellow-throated greenbul was ori ...

(former ''Pycnonotus chlorigula'') **

Stripe-cheeked greenbul The stripe-cheeked greenbul (''Arizelocichla milanjensis'') is a species of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in south-eastern Africa. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Taxonomy and systematics ...

(former ''Pycnonotus milanjensis'') **

Olive-headed greenbul The olive-headed greenbul (''Arizelocichla olivaceiceps'') is a species of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in south-eastern Africa. Taxonomy and systematics The olive-headed greenbul was originally described in the genus ''Crin ...

(former ''Pycnonotus olivaceiceps'') **

Stripe-faced greenbul The stripe-faced greenbul (''Arizelocichla striifacies'') is a species of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in Africa from south-eastern Kenya to south-western Tanzania. Taxonomy and systematics The stripe-faced greenbul was orig ...

(former ''Pycnonotus strifacies'') * five species were transferred to genus

Eurillas ''Eurillas'' is a genus of greenbuls, passerine birds in the bulbul family Pycnonotidae. Taxonomy The genus ''Eurillas'' was introduced in 1899 by the American ornithologist Harry C. Oberholser with the little greenbul as the type species. The g ...

: **

Little greenbul The little greenbul (''Eurillas virens'') is a species of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Taxonomy and systematics The little greenbul was originally described in the genus '' Andropadus'' ...

(former ''Pycnonotus virens'') **

Little grey greenbul The little grey greenbul (''Eurillas gracilis'') is a species of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is widely distributed across the African tropical rainforest. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and ...

(former ''Pycnonotus gracilis'') **

Ansorge's greenbul Ansorge's greenbul (''Eurillas ansorgei'') or Ansorge's bulbul, is a species of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in western and central Africa. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. Taxonomy and ...

(former ''Pycnonotus ansorgei'') **

Plain greenbul The plain greenbul (''Eurillas curvirostris'') is a species of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in western and central Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland ...

(former ''Pycnonotus curvirostris'') **

Yellow-whiskered greenbul The yellow-whiskered greenbul or yellow-whiskered bulbul (''Eurillas latirostris'') is a species of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in western and central Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, ...

(former ''Pycnonotus latirostris'') In 2020, a further 17 species were transferred to other genera: * Black-and-white bulbul (former ''Pycnonotus melanoleucos'', moved to the monotypic genus ''Microtarsus'') * Puff-backed bulbul (former ''Pycnonotus eutilotus'', moved to the monotypic genus ''Eutilotus'') * Yellow-wattled bulbul (former ''Pycnonotus urostictus'', moved to monotypic genus ''Poliolophus'') * Two species to genus ''

Alcurus The genus ''Alcurus'' is a small genus of songbirds in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae The bulbuls are members of a family, Pycnonotidae, of medium-sized passerine songbirds, which also includes greenbuls, brownbuls, leafloves, and bristl ...

'': ** Striated bulbul (former ''Pycnonotus striatus'') **

Spot-necked bulbul The spot-necked bulbul (''Alcurus tympanistrigus'') is a species of songbird in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is found in Sumatra. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist mo ...

(former ''Pycnonotus tympanistrigus'') * Four species to genus ''

Brachypodius The genus ''Brachypodius'' is a small genus of songbirds in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. Taxonomy The genus ''Brachypodius'' was introduced in 1845 by the English zoologist Edward Blyth to accommodate the black-headed bulbul. The word ''Bra ...

'': **

Grey-headed bulbul The grey-headed bulbul (''Brachypodius priocephalus'') is a member of the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is endemic to the Western Ghats in south-western India, and found from Goa south to Tamil Nadu at altitudes up to 1200m. It is found in d ...

(former ''Pycnonotus priocephalus'') **

Black-headed bulbul The black-headed bulbul (''Brachypodius melanocephalos'') is a member of the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is found in forests in south-eastern Asia. Taxonomy and systematics The black-headed bulbul was originally described in the genus ''T ...

(former ''Pycnonotus atriceps'', as ''Brachypodius melanocephalos''; the species epithet ''melanocephalos'' has priority over ''atriceps'') ** Andaman bulbul (former ''Pycnonotus fuscoflavescens'') ** Blue-wattled bulbul (former ''Pycnonotus nieuwenhuisii'') * Three species to genus '' Ixodia'': ** Spectacled bulbul (former ''Pycnonotus erythropthalmos'') **

Grey-bellied bulbul The grey-bellied bulbul (''Ixodia cyaniventris'') is a species of songbird in the bulbul family. It is found on the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by ...

(former ''Pycnonotus cyaniventris'') ** Scaly-breasted bulbul (former ''Pycnonotus squamatus'') * Five species to genus ''

Rubigula ''Rubigula'' is a genus of Asian passerine birds in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. Taxonomy The genus ''Rubigula'' was introduced in 1845 by the English zoologist Edward Blyth. The type species was designated as the ruby-throated bulbul by Geo ...

'': **

Black-crested bulbul The black-crested bulbul (''Rubigula flaviventris'') is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found from the Indian subcontinent to southeast Asia. Taxonomy and systematics The black-crested bulbul was originally described in ...

(former ''Pycnonotus flaviventris'') **

Flame-throated bulbul The flame-throated bulbul (''Rubigula gularis'') is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds and the state bird of Goa. It is found only in the forests of the Western Ghats in southern India. Formerly included as a subspecies of ''Pycno ...

(former ''Pycnonotus gularis'') **

Black-capped bulbul The black-capped bulbul (''Rubigula melanictera''), or black-headed yellow bulbul, is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is endemic to Sri Lanka. Taxonomy The black-capped bulbul was formally described in 1789 by the German n ...

(former ''Pycnonotus melanicterus'') **

Ruby-throated bulbul The ruby-throated bulbul (''Rubigula dispar''), or yellow bulbul, is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found on Sumatra, Java, and Bali. Taxonomy and systematics The ruby-throated bulbul was originally described in the ge ...

(former ''Pycnonotus dispar'') **

Bornean bulbul The Bornean bulbul (''Rubigula montis'') is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is endemic to the island of Borneo. Taxonomy and systematics The Bornean bulbul was previously placed in genus ''Pycnonotus''. This genus was foun ...

(former ''Pycnonotus montis'') Other former ''Pycnonotus'' species include: *

Sombre greenbul The sombre greenbul (''Andropadus importunus'') is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is a resident breeder in coastal bush, evergreen forest and dry shrub land in eastern and southern Africa. It is the only member of the genu ...

(former ''Pycnonotus importunus'', now ''Andropadus importunus'') *

Yellow-throated leaflove The yellow-throated leaflove (''Atimastillas flavicollis'') is a species of leaflove in the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is the only species of the monotypic genus ''Atimastillas''. The yellow-throated leaflove is found in western and ce ...

(former ''Haematornis flavicollis'' or ''Pycnonotus flavicollis'', now ''Atimastillas flavicollis'') * Hairy-backed bulbul (former ''Brachypodius criniger'', now ''Tricholestes criniger'') * Bare-faced bulbul (former ''Pycnonotus hualon'', now ''Nok hualon'') *

Cream-striped bulbul The cream-striped bulbul (''Hemixos leucogrammicus'') is a species of songbird in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is endemic to western Sumatra (Indonesia). The cream-striped bulbul was originally described in the genus ''Ixos'' and later mo ...

(former ''Pycnonotus leucogrammicus'', now ''Hemixos leucogrammicus'')

References

External links

* Bulbuls Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Pycnonotidae-stub