White-browed Bulbul    Pycnonotus luteolus

Etymology:

  • Pycnonotus : Greek word puknos thick, compact; notos –backed { thick backed}
  • Luteolus: Latin word for Yellowish derived from luteus saffron, yellow

Vernacular Names: Guj: Safed-nena bulbul, Swethnen bulbul, Mar: Khar bulbul, Pandharya Bhuvaicha Bulbul, Ta: Manjat kondai kuruvi, Kaha kurulla, Te: Poda pigli, Kan: Bili hubbina pikalara, Sinh: Galu-guduwa, Hindi: Safed-bhonha bulbul

Distribution in India: Resident in South India

Description: Size of 19-20 cm; wt. of 28–43 g. It is a dingy olive, unkempt, bulky, relatively inconspicuous bulbul with quite short, decurved bill. The nominate has grey-brown crown, whitish forehead, broad frosty white supercilium extending beyond eye, whitish subocular crescent, fine whitish to grey-brown streaks on ear-coverts, narrow dark eyestripe. It has usually 3–4 slender filoplumes protruding from nape. The neck to uppertail-coverts are olivaceous brown with dull greenish feather edges; wings and tail are similar, with brightest and palest fringing on remiges and rectrices; chin is yellowish-white, throat is whitish, thin blackish moustachial stripe, and short broad yellow submoustachial stripe. The breast is pale greyish-olive, merging into yellowish-white on belly, vent is yellow; iris is variable, usually with reddish tint; bill is blackish; legs are greyish-black. Both the sexes are alike. The juvenile is duller and browner above, lacks nuchal filoplumes, supercilium is less distinct, ear-coverts are unstreaked, fringes of wing feathers are rustier, paler below, chin is tinged yellow, iris is duller.

Habitat:  It is found in dry open scrub country mainly on the plains and also occurs in gardens and woodlands with dense shrubbery

Food Habits: They feed on fruits, petals of flowers, nectar, insects and occasionally insects.

Breeding Habits:  The breeding season is mainly March to September. The nest is a cup built in a low fork covered with moss and cobwebs on the outside and lined with fine root fibers. Clutches typically contain two to three eggs. About a week is taken for building the nest and the eggs are incubated for about 2 weeks. The eggs hatch synchronously and the nestlings fledge after about 2 weeks. Nestlings are fed with caterpillars, soft insects and berries