Photo © by Alok Tewari
Sat Tal, 5500 ft., Uttarakhand Himalayas, India, 15 November 2019
- Hemixos flavala
Includes: Cinereous Bulbul
Identification
Short dark crest lightly mottled ashy in most races. Dusky lores and malar and white throat contrasting with pale greyish-brown breast diagnostic. Belly and undertail coverts white (the latter tinged yellow in race connectens from Borneo). Upperparts brownish-grey. Wings with a yellowish patch, but this lacking in race cinereous from Malay Peninsula, Southern Thailand and Sumatra. Mantle and auriculars much duller than in the related Chestnut Bulbul.
Distribution
The Himalayas and southern China through SE Asia and the Malay Peninsula to Sumatra and Borneo.
Taxonomy
Sometimes split into two species based on morphology on voice:
- Ashy Bulbul (Hemixos flavala): Found from the East Himalayas east to southern China and south to south-eastern Vietnam and western Thailand.
- Includes subspecies bourdellei, remotus, hildebrandi and davisoni.
- Cinereous Bulbul (Hemixos cinereus): Found from southern Thailand, Malay Peninsula, Borneo and Sumatra.
- Includes subspecies connectens.
Habitat
Forests and forests edges. Mainly in highlands.
Behaviour
Frequents the canopy and middle storeys. Gregarious, gathering in parties of up to six or more. Congregates in fruiting trees with other bulbuls. Noisy and conspicous, raising crest when vocalising. Also puffs out throat feathers like bulbuls of the genus Criniger.
Vocalisation
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