Hairy-backed bulbul facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hairy-backed bulbul |
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Tricholestes
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| Species: |
criniger
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The hairy-backed bulbul (scientific name: Tricholestes criniger) is a small, chirpy songbird. It belongs to the bulbul family, called Pycnonotidae. This bird is special because it's the only species in its group, known as the Tricholestes genus.
You can find the hairy-backed bulbul in parts of Southeast Asia. It lives on the Malay Peninsula, the island of Sumatra, and the island of Borneo. These birds prefer to live in warm, wet lowland forests.
About Its Name and Family
Scientists often give animals long, fancy names to help keep track of them. The hairy-backed bulbul was first described by a scientist named Edward Blyth in 1845. He first placed it in a group called Brachypodius.
Sometimes, scientists change their minds as they learn more. The hairy-backed bulbul was also, at different times, placed in other bird groups like Trichophorus and Hypsipetes. This shows how scientists work to figure out the best way to classify living things.
Different Kinds of Hairy-backed Bulbuls
Even within the same species, there can be slight differences depending on where the animals live. These slightly different groups are called subspecies. For the hairy-backed bulbul, scientists recognize three main subspecies:
- T. c. criniger - This subspecies was also described by Edward Blyth in 1845. You can find it on the Malay Peninsula and the eastern part of Sumatra.
- T. c. sericeus - This one was described by Blyth in 1865. It was first thought to be a separate species. This subspecies lives on the western side of Sumatra.
- T. c. viridis - Described by Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1854, this subspecies was also once considered a different species. It is found on the island of Borneo.
