Red-whiskered Bulbul
Red-whiskered BulbulRed-whiskered BulbulRed-whiskered BulbulRed-whiskered Bulbul

Red-whiskered Bulbul

Pycnonotus jocosus

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
at Periyar National Park
2,484 Verified sightings at Periyar National Park From 2019 to 2026
13,363 Verified sightings across all 26 parks From 2019 to 2026
January Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Red-whiskered Bulbul

The red-whiskered bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus), or crested bulbul, is a passerine bird native to Asia. It is a member of the bulbul family. It is a resident frugivore found mainly in tropical Asia. It has been introduced in many tropical areas of the world where populations have established themselves. It has a loud three or four note call, feeds on fruits and small insects and perches conspicuously on trees. It is common in hill forests and urban gardens.

The red-whiskered bulbul was scientifically described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 under the binomial name Lanius jocosus. Linnaeus based his description on the Sitta chinensis that had been described by Pehr Osbeck in 1757. Linnaeus specified the location as "China" but this was restricted to Hong Kong and Guangdong by Herbert Girton Deignan in 1948. The red-whiskered bulbul is now placed in the genus Pycnonotus that was proposed by Friedrich Boie in 1826.

The specific epithet is from Latin ioculus meaning "merry", from iocus meaning "joke". Nine subspecies are recognised: The red-whiskered bulbul is about 20 cm (7.9 in) in length. It has brown upper-parts and whitish underparts with buff... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Periyar National Park

White-browed Bulbul
LC

White-browed Bulbul

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Pycnonotus luteolus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Square-tailed Bulbul
LC

Square-tailed Bulbul

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Hypsipetes ganeesa

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Southern Hill Myna
LC

Southern Hill Myna

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Gracula indica

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely
Greater Racket-tailed Drongo
LC

Greater Racket-tailed Drongo

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Dicrurus paradiseus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
White-bellied Treepie
LC Endemic

White-bellied Treepie

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Dendrocitta leucogastra

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Malabar Whistling-Thrush
LC Endemic

Malabar Whistling-Thrush

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Myophonus horsfieldii

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Orange Minivet
LC

Orange Minivet

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Pericrocotus flammeus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Nilgiri Flowerpecker
LC Endemic

Nilgiri Flowerpecker

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Dicaeum concolor

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Jungle Babbler

Jungle Babbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdoides striata

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Indian Scimitar-Babbler
LC Endemic

Indian Scimitar-Babbler

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Pomatorhinus horsfieldii

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Asian Fairy-bluebird
LC

Asian Fairy-bluebird

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Irena puella

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Velvet-fronted Nuthatch
LC

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Sitta frontalis

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Eravikulam National Park 🇮🇳 India
~80%
2 Nagarhole National Park 🇮🇳 India
~60%
3 Periyar National Park 🇮🇳 India
~60%
4 Mudumalai National Park 🇮🇳 India
~60%
5 Bandipur National Park 🇮🇳 India
~60%
6 Jim Corbett National Park 🇮🇳 India
~50%
7 Royal Bardia National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
~50%
8 Chitwan National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
~50%
9 Doi Inthanon National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~40%
10 Kaziranga National Park 🇮🇳 India
~40%
11 Royal Manas National Park 🇧🇹 Bhutan
~30%
12 Sundarbans National Park 🇮🇳 India
~30%
13 Manas National Park 🇮🇳 India
~30%
14 Khao Yai National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~20%
15 Satpura National Park 🇮🇳 India
~20%
16 Cat Tien National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
~10%
17 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
18 Namdapha National Park 🇮🇳 India
~10%
19 Bandhavgarh National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
20 Kanha National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
21 Keoladeo National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
22 Royal National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
23 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
24 Khao Sok National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
Insufficient data
25 Kaeng Krachan National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
Insufficient data
26 Taman Negara National Park 🇲🇾 Malaysia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Red-whiskered Bulbul in Periyar National Park?

About 60% of wildlife watchers report a Red-whiskered Bulbul sighting in Periyar National Park, based on 2,484 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Red-whiskered Bulbul in Periyar National Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for Red-whiskered Bulbul in Periyar National Park in our monthly data.

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