| Black-crested bulbul | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Nominate Rubigula flaviventris flaviventris, at Meghalaya, India | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Pycnonotidae |
| Genus: | Rubigula |
| Species: | R. flaviventris |
| Binomial name | |
| Rubigula flaviventris (Tickell, 1833) | |
| Synonyms | |
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The black-crested bulbul (Rubigula flaviventris) is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. [1] [2] It is found from the Indian subcontinent to southeast Asia.
The black-crested bulbul was originally described in the genus Vanga and later moved to the genus Pycnonotus . Pycnonotus was found to be polyphyletic in recent molecular phylogenetic studies and five bulbuls, including the black-crested bulbul, were moved to Rubigula. [2] [3]
Until 2008, the black-crested bulbul was considered as conspecific with the black-capped, ruby-throated, flame-throated and Bornean bulbuls, [4] but these are all now treated as distinct. [2]
Eight subspecies are accepted: [2]
The black-crested bulbul is 18.5–19.5 cm in length. The head is black with a distinct crest and a yellow iris, while the rest of its body is greenish yellow above and yellow below, and a greenish-black tail. The bill and the feet are black. In the subspecies R. f. johnsoni, the throat is red. [5] Both the male and female are similar in plumage; young birds are slightly duller.
This is a bird of forest and dense scrub.
It builds its nest in a bush; two to four eggs are a typical clutch. The black-crested bulbul feeds on fruit and insects.
