| Nicobar bulbul | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Infraorder: | Passerides |
| Family: | Pycnonotidae |
| Genus: | Hypsipetes |
| Species: | H. nicobariensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Hypsipetes nicobariensis Moore, F, 1854 | |
| Synonyms | |
The Nicobar bulbul (Hypsipetes nicobariensis) is a songbird species in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is endemic to the Nicobar Islands. This species has sometimes been placed in the genus Ixos .
The Nicobar bulbul was formally described in 1854 by the English entomologist and ornithologist Frederic Moore under the current binomial name Hypsipetes nicobariensis. This was a replacement name for Ixocincla virescens Blyth 1845 which was preoccupied in Hypsipetes by Ixos virescens Temminck, 1825, the Javan bulbul. [2] [3] [4] The Nicobar bulbul was formerly usually placed in the genus Ixos but was moved to Hypsipetes based on a molecular phylogenetic study published in 2024. [5]
The Nicobar bulbul is a rather drab, nondescript species of about 20 cm in length and without a crest. Its wings, back and tail are dull dusky green; the face is lighter, and the throat and underside are yellowish-white. The most prominent feature is a sooty-brown cap reaching down to eye height. [6]
The Nicobar bulbul produces chattering calls, similar to those of the black bulbul. [6]
It is endemic to the Nicobar Islands, where it only occurs in the central group, namely Bompoka, Camorta, Katchall, Nancowry, Teressa, Tillanchong and Trinkat; a supposed 19th century record from Pilo Milo in the southern group is nowadays generally dismissed. [7]
Its natural habitats are subtropical and tropical moist lowland primary and secondary forest. It also visits plantations, rural gardens, and occasionally urban areas and grassland. Restricted to a few islands, it is threatened with extinction in the long-term future. Already in the early 1990s, though the species was still found on every major island in its range, only single birds or families were usually seen except on Katchall and Teressa. Only in some places on the former was it still as common then as it used to be 100 years ago. At present, it manages to hold its own, but only barely, and habitat loss may have been severe enough to accelerate its decline to dangerous proportions. With altogether a few thousand adult birds remaining, it is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN. [6]
Several factors have contributed to this species' decline. For one thing, habitat destruction such as logging for rubber plantations has encroached upon the native forest, and while more sustainable forest uses by humans are tolerated well enough, monocultures are of little use to this island endemic and are utilized only infrequently. An increasing human population has resulted in much clear-cutting in the mid-late 20th century, and expansion of military installations in these frontier islands has also resulted in considerable habitat destruction. [7]
Also, the red-whiskered bulbul was introduced to Camorta by the British; it was later brought to other islands in the Nancowry group by locals, who, like many people elsewhere, consider the red-whiskered bulbul a popular pet. The two bulbuls presumably compete for food, nesting locations and other resources, and if the human-assisted P. j. whistleri is not actually displacing I. nicobariensis, being well-established on Katchall, Nancowry, Teressa and Trinkat, it is certainly keeping the Nicobar bulbul's population lower than it could be. On the other hand, there is no reason to suppose that the native species is an inferior competitor; rather the two bulbuls' populations seem to be reaching an equilibrium: on Katchall, the red-whiskered bulbul was already established in the 1910s or so, and this has not prevented healthy Nicobar bulbul stocks from persisting on that island to the present day. [7]
The Nicobar Islands were hit hard by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and the central group was perhaps most severely affected, with at least hundreds, maybe thousands of its inhabitants dead. On Katchall, there was perhaps the highest loss of life in the entire Nicobars, but this was due to catastrophic destruction of settled areas and much of the island's interior forest was not affected. Trinkat was literally torn into three pieces, while on Camorta flooding was extreme in the northern part only. Nancowry on the other hand suffered rather little damage overall. On Teressa, the low-lying plains suffered extensive flooding, bisecting the island in fact, but the remaining forest fragments are mostly confined to the hills and were spared. Bompoka and Tillanchong, though small, are quite steep and consequently were not much affected. Though the effect upon the Nicobar bulbul's population on Trinkat, for example, might have been devastating, the tsunami is not known to have significantly harmed the overall stocks of the species. [8]
The Nicobar Islands rain forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion in the Nicobar Islands, which is part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands union territory of India. The Nicobar Islands are in the Indian Ocean, lying north of Sumatra and south of the Andaman Islands. The islands are politically part of India, although physically closer to Southeast Asia. Millions of years of isolation from the mainland has given rise to a distinct flora and fauna, including many endemic species.
The Nicobar megapode or Nicobar scrubfowl is a megapode found in some of the Nicobar Islands (India). Like other megapode relatives, it builds a large mound nest with soil and vegetation, with the eggs hatched by the heat produced by decomposition. Newly hatched chicks climb out of the loose soil of the mound and being fully feathered are capable of flight. The Nicobar Islands are on the edge of the distribution of megapodes, well separated from the nearest ranges of other megapode species. Being restricted to small islands and threatened by hunting, the species is vulnerable to extinction. The 2004 tsunami is believed to have wiped out populations on some islands and reduced populations on several others.
The Mauritius bulbul, is a songbird belonging to the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is endemic to Mauritius.
The Réunion bulbul is a species of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is endemic to Réunion.
Teressa is one of the Nicobar Islands, India.
Hemixos is a songbird genus in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae.
Hypsipetes is a genus of bulbuls, songbirds in the family Pycnonotidae. Most of its species occur in tropical forests around the Indian Ocean. But while the genus is quite diverse in the Madagascar region at the western end of its range it does not reach the African mainland.
The mountain bulbul is a songbird species in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is often placed in Hypsipetes, but seems to be closer to the type species of the genus Ixos, the Sunda bulbul. It is found in Southeast Asia and is not considered a threatened species by the IUCN. It is named after British East India Company Surgeon John McClelland.
The white-headed bulbul is a songbird species in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae.
The Javan bulbul is a songbird species in the bulbul family. It is the type species of the genus Ixos. It is endemic to the island of Java in Indonesia in its natural habitat of subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is not considered a threatened species by the IUCN.
The yellowish bulbul is a species of songbird in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae.
Ixos is a genus of passerine birds in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae.
The streaked bulbul, or green-backed bulbul, is a songbird species in the bulbul family (Pycnonotidae). It is found on the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is becoming rare due to habitat loss.
The sulphur-bellied bulbul is a songbird species in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is endemic to Palawan (Philippines). Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests.
The Philippine bulbul is a songbird species in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae.
The Zamboanga bulbul is a songbird species in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is endemic to the Philippines, where its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests of Basilan and the Zamboanga Peninsula. It is becoming rare due to habitat loss.
The streak-breasted bulbul is a songbird species in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae.
The Sula golden bulbul is a species of songbird in the bulbul family Pycnonotidae. It is endemic to Sula Island in the Philippines. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
Katchal, or Tehnu (Tēhnyu), is a Nicobarese language spoken in the central Nicobar Islands. Apart from the dialect of Trinket, it is not mutually intelligible with the other Central Nicobarese languages. The population of Trinket was evacuated to Nancowry and Camorta after the 2004 tsunami, and can be expected to disappear as speakers assimilate.
