Wednesday, January 18, 2012

The Red-vented Bulbul


The Red-vented Bulbul /Pycnonotus cafer is another bird that we see on a daily basis. You can see how it gets its name--from the small but very prominent crimson patch at the base of its tail. 





In India, bulbuls are seen as cute little birds. Bulbul and Bulbuli are common names here. But despite its size, the bird can be aggressive. Wherever it has been introduced outside India, it has damaged crops and caused a major drop in the native bird population.


A cloudy afternoon shot of a lone bulbul in July last year. 



This photo was taken last year on an early morning walk in my hometown. It was a misty morning in January and the only birds around were these two.


I'm linking up to World Bird Wednesday.


17 comments:

Ginny Hartzler said...

It is a pretty little bird. We do not have any here.

Brian King said...

Beautiful bird! The red really stands out.

eileeninmd said...

They are pretty birds with their patch of red. Thanks for sharing your world bird.

Sylvia K said...

Such a lovely bird! I, too, love that patch of red! Wonderful captures for the day!

Sylvia

TexWisGirl said...

so different from anything we see here. thanks for sharing your 'common' bird!

theconstantwalker said...

Great images of your lovely little bird..

Unknown said...

He's a looker!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

mick said...

Beautiful little bird and great photos.

Martha Z said...

He is a lovely bird but from what you say about him I think he needs to stay in India.

Arija said...

Great to see your bulbuls Kanak. Having a bright red vent is like hiding a light under a bushel or pretending to be a baboon.

Pat Ulrich said...

Wonderful birds to see!

Larry said...

Nice shots of the Red-vented Bulbul!

Pat said...

What a cool bird!

Unknown said...

What do they EAT???

Trailguide said...

I saw a red-vented bulbird on my pecan tree this afternoon 1/27/2015 here in Houston, Texas. It was unmistakable with the red patch under the tail, black crest and white tail stripe. Maybe an escapee?

Unknown said...

Thanks, Trailguide, I live in the Montrose section of Houston and saw one in my back yard today. First I heard it as a strange bird. I looked at it for a long time to make sure I got all its markings.

Trailguide said...

Hi Montrose--I live on the near North Side just outside the loop. I emailed the Texas bird-sighting folks and they said the red-vented Bulbuls are becoming more common in Houston. I haven't seen one since the sighting in January. It had an unusual call which was what first got my attention and luckily it stayed perched on my pecan for quite some time. There is a loaded grapefruit tree in the yard behind me which I'm thinking was the attractor because they are fruit eaters. I'm keeping my eyes open. It is a beautiful and unusual bird.