Brown-eared Bulbul

Overview

The brown-eared bulbul (Hypsipetes amaurotis) is a medium-sized bulbul native to eastern Asia. It is extremely common in the northern parts of its range, stretching from southern Sakhalin to the northern Philippines.

Identification

• Approximately 28 cm long with a long tail and grayish-brown plumage.
• Distinctive brown cheeks, which give the species its common name.
• Noisy squeaking calls including "shreep" and "weesp" sounds, often described as unattractive.

Habitat

Found in a large range covering the Russian Far East, northeastern China, the Korean Peninsula, Japan, Taiwan, and parts of the northern Philippines. While they prefer forested areas, they readily adapt to urban and rural environments. Most populations migrate south for winter, though some now overwinter further north due to changes in farming practices.

Diet

In summer, they primarily feed on insects, while autumn and winter diets consist mainly of fruits, such as berries and citrus, and seeds. They also feed on the nectar of Camellia flowers, becoming dusted with yellow pollen and acting as pollinators during times when insect pollinators are scarce.

Did you know?

Their feeding on Camellia nectar makes them important pollinators for these flowers during periods when few insect pollinators are active. They are also frequent victims of cuckoo parasitism, where cuckoo chicks push the bulbul's eggs and young out of the nest.