bulbul

bulbul

bulbul , bird, common name for members of the family Pycnonotidae, comprising 119 species of medium-sized, dull-colored passerine birds with short necks and wings, native to Africa and S Asia. Bulbuls are famed as songsters and are popular as cage birds in the Middle East; frequently mentioned in Persian poetry, the word bulbul is often mistranslated "nightingale." Bulbuls range in size from 6 in. (15 cm) to about 12 in. (30.5 cm). They inhabit grasslands and shrubby countrysides, from sea level to 10,000 ft (3,050 m) in the Himalayas. A common Asian species, the red-whiskered bulbul, Pycnonotus jocosus, is easily tamed and is popular as a cage bird. Bulbuls feed mainly on fruits and berries and sometimes do crop damage. They build cleverly concealed cup-shaped grass nests, in which the female lays from three to five eggs per clutch. Both parents brood the nestlings. Bulbuls are classified in the phylum Chordata , subphylum Vertebrata, class Aves, order Passeriformes, family Pycnonotidae.

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Pycnonotidae

Pycnonotidae (bulbuls, greenbuls; class Aves, order Passeriformes) A family of medium-sized, grey, brown, and olive birds, which have areas of yellow, red, white, or black. They have short to medium-length, slender, slightly curved bills, hooked or notched in some species, with rounded wings, and fairly long tails. They have rictal bristles, and hair-like neck feathers, and some are crested. They are mainly arboreal, inhabit forests and cultivated areas, feed on fruit and insects, and nest in trees and on the ground. Hypsipetes species (of which there are 20) have longer wings than other bulbuls and some are migratory. Some of the 48 species of Pycnonotus are popular cage birds and P. jocosus (red-whiskered bulbul), which inhabits more open areas and cultivated land, has become successfully established in Australia and N. America. There are 15 genera, comprising about 120 species, found in Africa, southern Asia, the Philippines, and the Moluccas.

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bulbul

bulbul antelope: see hartebeest .

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bulbuls

bulbuls See PYCNONOTIDAE.

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MICHAEL ALLABY. "bulbuls." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-bulbuls.html

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

Noted film actor Bulbul Ahmed laid to rest
Newspaper article from: UNB - United News of Bangladesh; 7/16/2010
Baku to host Bulbul international vocalists contest.
News Wire article from: AZR - State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan; 11/13/2010
A woman's work ... Yemeni businesswoman and parliamentary candidate Hoda...
Magazine article from: The Middle East; 8/1/2009

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