Brown-eared bulbul

Brown-eared bulbul
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Pycnonotidae
Genus: Hypsipetes
Species: H. amaurotis
Binomial name
Hypsipetes amaurotis
(Temminck, 1830)
Synonyms

Microscelis amaurotis [2]
Genus:
Galgulus Kittlitz, 1832 (non Brisson, 1760: preoccupied)
Orpheus Temminck & Schlegel, 1848 (non Swainson, 1827: preoccupied)

Species:
Hypsipetes amaurotis (Temminck, 1830)
Ixos amaurotis (Temminck, 1830)
Turdus amaurotis Temminck, 1830

The brown-eared bulbul (Hypsipetes amaurotis) is a medium-sized bulbul native to eastern Asia. It is extremely common within the northern parts of its range and is a familiar bird throughout Japan, where it is called hiyodori (ヒヨドリ), and Korea, where it is known as jikbakguri (직박구리). In Taiwan, on the other hand, it is rare and limited to Orchid Island.[3]

Description

Reaching a length of about 28 cm (11 in), brown-eared bulbuls are grayish-brown, with brown cheeks (the "brown ears" of the common name) and a long tail. While they prefer forested areas, they readily adapt to urban and rural environments, and their noisy squeaking calls are a familiar sound in most areas of Japan.

Distribution and habitat

Adult, subspecies squamiceps, Kyoto (Japan)

The brown-eared bulbul is common in a very large range that includes the Russian Far East (including Sakhalin), northeastern China, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan, south to Taiwan and the Babuyan and Batanes island chains in the north of the Philippines.[1]

Historically, brown-eared bulbuls were migratory birds moving to the southern parts of its range in winter, but they have taken advantage of changes in crops and farming practices in recent decades to overwinter in areas farther north than previously possible. As a result, they are considered agricultural pests in some areas of Japan. Most brown-eared bulbuls still move south in winter, often forming huge flocks during migration.

Behaviour

Feeding

In summer, brown-eared bulbuls primarily feed on insects, while they primarily take fruits and seeds in the fall and winter.[4][5]

Breeding

Around five eggs are laid by females, who then incubate the egg. Brown-eared bulbuls are frequently parasitized by cuckoos, whose chicks will push bulbul eggs and chicks out of the nest.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2012). "Ixos amaurotis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  2. ↑ Gregory (2000)
  3. ↑ Taiwan. Oriental Bird Club Retrieved August 22, 2016
  4. ↑ Brazil, Mark Noisy bulbuls change with the seasons March 8, 2016 Japan Times Retrieved August 22, 2016
  5. ↑ Japan Bird Research Association - Brown-eared Bulbul Retrieved August 22, 2016
  6. ↑ Hooper, Rowan Brown-eared bulbul May 12, 2005 Japan Times Retrieved August 22, 2016

Further reading

Media related to Microscelis amaurotis at Wikimedia Commons

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/9/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.