Hairy-backed bulbul

The hairy-backed bulbul (Tricholestes criniger) is a songbird species in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is the sole species contained within the monotypic genus Tricholestes.^[2] It is found on the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.^[1]

Hairy-backed bulbul
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Pycnonotidae
Genus:	Tricholestes Salvadori, 1874
Species:	T. criniger
Binomial name
Tricholestes criniger (Blyth, 1845)
Synonyms[2]
(Genus) Myiosobus Reichenow, 1891 (Species) Brachypodius criniger Blyth, 1845 Hypsipetes criniger Myiosobus fulvicauda Reichenow, 1891 Trichophorus minutus Hartlaub, 1853

Taxonomy and systematics

The hairy-backed bulbul was originally described in the genus Brachypodius (a synonym for Pycnonotus). Alternatively, some authorities have classified the hairy-backed bulbul in the genera Trichophorus (a synonym for Criniger) and Hypsipetes.

Subspecies

Three subspecies are currently recognized:^[3]

• T. c. criniger - (Blyth, 1845): Found on the Malay Peninsula and eastern Sumatra
• T. c. sericeus - (Blyth, 1865): Originally described as a separate species in the genus Criniger. Found on western Sumatra
• T. c. viridis - (Bonaparte, 1854): Originally described as a separate species in the genus Trichophoropsis (a synonym for Setornis). Found on Borneo

Description

The hairy-backed bulbul is a small (16–17 cm long, weigh 12–21 g), relatively quiet bulbul with a slightly rounded tail and strong rictal bristles. It is olive above and yellowish below, with key features including pale yellowish lores and a broad eye ring, a dark rufescent olive-brown cap and neck, olive-rufous uppertail-coverts and upperwings, a bright rufous-brown tail with creamy white tips, a creamy white chin and throat merging into a yellow breast, and hair-like filoplumes on the back (often concealed). It has small, weak legs and feet, a dark brown iris, a light blue-grey bill, and pale greenish-brown legs. Sexes are similar, with females slightly smaller. Juveniles have a grey-brown iris and pale fleshy pink legs. The subspecies sericeus is larger than the nominate form, with duller yellow undertail-coverts; and viridis is similar, but brighter on the upperparts.^[4]