Light-vented bulbul facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Light-vented bulbul |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pycnonotus
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| Species: |
sinensis
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| Blue: Extant (breeding), Pink: Extant (resident), Purple: Extant (non-breeding) | |
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The Light-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis) is a small, lively bird. It's also known as the Chinese Bulbul. This bird belongs to the bulbul family. You can find it in many parts of China, Hong Kong, Macao, northern Vietnam, southern Japan, and Taiwan. Sometimes, it even visits South Korea. It's a common songbird that likes places with light woods. You can often spot them in towns, suburbs, and city parks.
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About the Light-vented Bulbul
How Scientists Name Birds
Scientists give every animal a special name. This helps everyone around the world know exactly which animal they are talking about. The Light-vented Bulbul's scientific name is Pycnonotus sinensis.
A German scientist named Johann Friedrich Gmelin first described this bird in 1789. He gave it the name Muscicapa sinensis. Later, another German zoologist, Friedrich Boie, created the group (genus) Pycnonotus in 1836. The Light-vented Bulbul is now part of this group, which has 32 different bulbul species. The word "sinensis" in its name means "Chinese."
Different Types of Light-vented Bulbuls
There are four main types, or subspecies, of the Light-vented Bulbul:
- P. s. sinensis: This type lives in central and eastern China.
- P. s. hainanus: You can find this one in southeastern China and northern Vietnam.
- P. s. formosae: This subspecies lives on the island of Taiwan.
- P. s. orii: This type is found on several southern Ryukyu Islands in Japan, like Yonaguni, Okinawa, Iriomote, and Ishigaki Island.
What Does It Look Like?
The Light-vented Bulbul is about 19 centimeters (7.5 inches) long. It has a black top of its head and a black stripe near its mouth. You'll see white patches on the back of its neck and on the sides of its black head. It also has white feathers from its eyes to the back of its head.
Its upper body is a mix of grayish-brown and olive green. Its wings and tail are brown with bright olive edges. The underside of its body is whitish, with a light brown band across its chest. This bird is quite noisy and sings a bright, varied song that sounds like "cha-ko-lee...cha-ko-lee..."
Where Do They Live?
The Light-vented Bulbul lives in several countries:
- China (including Hong Kong and Macao)
- Japan (especially the Nansei Islands)
- Laos
- North Korea (rarely seen)
- South Korea (rarely seen)
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Vietnam
In Hong Kong, these bulbuls are very common in areas with light woods, farms, and bushy lands. Another type of bulbul, the red-whiskered bulbul, is more common in city parks there.
However, in Taiwan, the Light-vented Bulbul is the most common bulbul in all these places. Only along the east coast is it replaced by Styan's bulbul. You can often see Chinese Bulbuls in Shanghai, China. They are one of the most common birds there, after tree sparrows and spotted doves.
