African red-eyed bulbul

Pycnonotus nigricans

Description:

Bulbuls are a family of medium-sized passerine songbirds. Many forest species are known as greenbuls. The family is distributed across most of Africa and into the Middle East, tropical Asia to Indonesia, and north as far as Japan. Bulbuls are short-necked and slender. The tails are long and the wings short and rounded. In almost all species the bill is slightly elongated and slightly hooked at the end. They vary in length from 13 cm to 29 cm. Overall the sexes are alike, although the females tend to be slightly smaller. The soft plumage of some species is colourful with yellow, red or orange vents, cheeks, throat or supercilia, but most are drab, with uniform olive brown to black plumage. Species with dull coloured eyes often sport contrasting eyerings. Some have very distinct crests. Bulbuls are highly vocal, with the calls of most species being described as nasal or gravelly. Bulbuls eat a wide range of different foods, ranging from fruit to seeds, nectar, small insects and other arthropods and even small vertebrates. The bulbuls are generally monogamous.

Habitat:

Near endemic to southern Africa, marginally extending into southern Angola and Zambia. In southern Africa it is common across Namibia, Botswana, and central South Africa, centered around the Free State, North-West Province and inland Eastern Cape, also extending in to other provinces. Occurs in a wide variety of arid and semi-arid habitats, such Acacia savanna, semi-arid shrublands, riverine bush and gardens in arid areas.