Yellow-wattled bulbul

The yellow-wattled bulbul (Poliolophus urostictus) is a species of songbird in the bulbul family of passerine birds.^[1][2] It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests and forest edge

Yellow-wattled bulbul
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Pycnonotidae
Genus:	Poliolophus Sharpe, 1877
Species:	P. urostictus
Binomial name
Poliolophus urostictus (Salvadori, 1870)
Synonyms
Brachypus urostictus Pycnonotus urostictus Brachypodius urostictus

Description and taxonomy

EBird describes the bird as "A medium-sized bird of lowland and foothill forest. Dark brown above with a grayish brown head with a slight crest, a warmer brown chest and sides, a white center of the belly, white under the base of the tail, and white tips to the undertail. Note the prominent yellow eye-ring. Somewhat similar to Zamboanga and Philippine Bulbuls, but Yellow-wattled has a crest and an obvious yellow eye-ring. Song consists of a short, rather tuneless whistled melody, often finishing higher."^[3] The yellow-wattled bulbul was described by Tommaso Salvadori in 1870. In common with the blue-wattled bulbul, it is alternately referred to as simply the wattled bulbul.

Subspecies

Five subspecies are recognized:^[2]

• P. u. urostictus - (Salvadori, 1870): Found on central and southern Luzon, Catanduanes and Polillo Island
• P. u. ilokensis - Rand & Rabor, 1967: Found on northern Luzon; darker underparts with a larger bill
• P. u. atricaudatus - Parkes, 1967: Found on Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Bohol Negros and Panaon Island; darker tail featjhers but also with more extensive white tail tips
• P. u. philippensis - (Hachisuka, 1934): Found on Dinagat, Siargao, Bucas Grande and Mindanao (except the Zamboanga Peninsula); paler underparts with more extensive white tail tips
• P. u. basilanicus - (Steere, 1890): Originally described as a separate species. Found on the Zamboanga Peninsula (western Mindanao) and Basilan; has a more olive back and more extensive white on the breast

Ecology and behavior

Not much is known about this species but it is often observed feeding on fruit. It is seen alone, in pairs and small families.

Recorded breeding from March to August. Nest is described as cup-shaped with a typical clutch size of 3 eggs. ^[4]

Habitat and conservation status

Its natural habitats at tropical moist lowland secondary forest and forest edge up to 1,000 meters above sea level, it tends to avoid more intact primary forest^[5]

The IUCN Red List has assessed this bird as least-concern species as it has a wide range and seems to be able to persist and even thrive in degraded habitats. ^[6]