When I visited Chiang Mai, Thailand, in January 2026, I spotted a medium-sized bird chirping from a branch. It turned out to be a Sooty-headed Bulbul. While its call is often described as a series of whistled notes similar in tone to the Red-whiskered Bulbul, it is delivered with a much more hurried, staccato tempo. To my ears, it lacked the fluid melody that makes the Red-whiskered Bulbul so iconic.
The Sooty-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster) is a member of the Pycnonotidae family. It is also known as the Golden-vented Bulbul because its undertail coverts range from golden-yellow to orange-red. Its range is expansive but somewhat fragmented, stretching from southern China through mainland Southeast Asia down to Java and Bali. It is now widely established in Singapore and across Indonesia due to introductions. Consequently, you can find them in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Measuring between 18 and 21 cm, the adult is easily identified by its black head, chin, and nape, topped with a subtle, short crest. Its body features brown upperparts, a distinctive white rump, and white underparts that contrast with that bright orange or yellow vent. Juveniles are slightly drabber, with browner heads and paler vents.
These birds typically inhabit the middle and lower layers of secondary forests and gardens. They are active foragers, feeding on a diet of fruits, berries, and insects. While their primary breeding season runs from May to July, they are a lively presence in the Thai landscape year-round.
2026年1月，我到泰國清邁玩時，看到一隻中等大小的鳥兒在樹枝上鳴叫。後來才知道它是一隻白喉紅臀鵯。據說它的叫聲是一連串的哨音，音調與紅耳鵯相似，但節奏卻急促得多。在我聽來，它缺乏紅耳鵯那種流暢悅耳的旋律，而正是這種旋律使紅耳鵯成為一種非常出名的鳥類。
白喉紅臀鵯是鵯科的一種鳴禽，別名黄金臀鹎 (因尾下覆羽呈金黄色/橙红色而有此稱呼)。其分佈範圍廣闊但略顯零散，從中國南部經東南亞大陸延伸至爪哇島和峇裡島。目前廣泛引入新加坡和印尼等地。因此在越南、柬埔寨、泰國、緬甸、中國南部、香港、澳門、馬來西亞、新加坡及印尼都有它的蹤影。
成鳥體長 18 至 21 公分，很容易辨認，其頭部、下巴和後頸均為黑色，頭頂有一簇不顯眼的短冠羽。其上體呈棕色，臀部為醒目的白色，下體也為白色，與亮橙色或黃色的泄殖腔形成鮮明對比。幼鳥羽色略顯暗淡，頭部呈褐色，泄殖腔顏色較淺。
這些鳥類通常棲息於次生林和花園的中下層。它們是活躍的覓食者，以水果、漿果和昆蟲為食。雖然它們的主要繁殖季節是五月至七月，但它們一年四季都活躍在泰國的田野中。
References 參考資料
- Wikipedia: Sooty-headed bulbul
- Birds of Singapore: Sooty-headed Bulbul
- 澳門自然網: 白喉紅臀鵯
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