Breeding the White-eared Bulbul ( Pymonotus leucotis)

Abstract

A re you aware the White-eared Bulbul is monitoring the goings-on in Afghanistan? Few people know this handsome, precocious softbill is flitting about the desert-dry lowlands from Afghanistan, south throughout Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, all around the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, as far west as Bahrain, and as far east as the Northern parts of India.

Overall Description

Their are over 137 species of the bulbul family; Pycnonotidae. The more common name, White-eared (Pycnonotus leucotis) is often confused with the White-

cheeked (Pycnonotus leucogeny) a much larger Himalayan bulbul with a very pronounced crest. (Beaman & Madge, Handbook of Bird Identification for Europe and Western Paleartic, 1998).

The scientific name is required to insure written accuracy and some form of additional identification must accompany any reference to a 'bulbul' until everyone is sure which one they are discussing. This article is about the White-eared, P. leucotis.

This bulbul has a medium gray body, jet black head, subtle rounded black crest and a distinct white patch over the ear coverts; hence the name. Feet and

legs are mottled dark gray/brown.

An adult is 18cm (6-7 inches) long from tail tip to beak tip. The tail is jet black, with one eighth to one quarter inch white tips on the end of the feathers visible from above and below. Oddly, this bulbul, as with the White-spectacled, sometimes called 'Yellow-vented Bulbul (P xanthopygos) has bright distinct yellow feathers in the vent area, visible only from below and behind.

Personality

This is a very personable bird with size and behaviors similar to that of a Pekin Robin. They are bright, cheerful, busy, inquisitive, sociable and quick to connect and tolerate people. Like other bulbuls, they are excellent flyers, quick to dart about and maneuver in and out of tight areas. They can hover in place for 5-8 seconds, hawking insects, and will catch small things tossed to them in mid-air. No flying insect makes it through a bulbul flight.

They amuse themselves (and onlookers) by tossing and catching small paperclip-sized items. One hand-raised male ('Ali-Bulbul') has me trained. He flies to me with the paperclip, or other shiny object. It has become my job to hide it and switch it from hand to hand. His job is to keep track of the object, pecking at the hand he believes it is hidden in. If he picks the empty hand, he immediately goes to the other hand.

Sex, Birds and 'oo-toodle-oo'

These birds are sexually monomorphic. The male courtship includes an eye-catching display wherein he leans forward and down, with both wings held up over his back, tips almost touching. He maintains this for about 10 seconds, then stands upright and expresses a "oo-toodle-oo" song. During the song he puffs up his body feathers and moves his wings slowly and deliberately, (as though he were paddling through water) sometimes for up to 30 seconds.

Both sexes exhibit a general greeting with the 'ootoodle-oo' song, minus the display. Both sexes will cluck what appears to be a repeated alarm similar to the Pekin Robins 'pit-pit-pit-pit' sound.

Hard to Find

I bought my first bulbul pair from an importer in California in 1997. I was intrigued because they were scarce, said to be non-aggressive, and could be kept with other non-aggressive finches and softbills.

I soon discovered, however, there was very little general information available on the species. While trying to figure the correct set-up for breeding, the hen died suddenly of unknown causes. I spent over three years assertively but vainly trying to find a replacement hen.

Thank You, Mr. Cristo

While at the Pomona Bird Mart in March, 2001, I

luckily ran into softbill enthusiast Roland Cristo who told me he bad noticed a hen bulbul for sale nearby. I took a chance and bought the bird on faith it was a hen, put the two together and. toild had three clutches and six healthy birds the first year.

Set-up for Settling In

Living in the moderate San Diego climate, I set the birds up in one of nine 6 x 5 x 7 foot covered outdoor flights. These flights have numerous species of finches and softbills visible to one another through 3 x 'h inch wire mesh. I keep the cement block floor covered with about two inches of easily replaceable sand. l rotate potted plants such as Ficus benjaniina, small fuchsia trees and various cape honeysuckle plants. My eventual breeding-pair shared their flight with a breeding pair of African Red-headed Finches and four juvenile Buttonquail bottom-cleaners.