Red-vented Bulbul
Bengal Birds -9 (বুলবুলি/বুলবুল)
Bulbul pakhi, moyna, tiye….’, a very popular Bengali song for kids starts with this line which basically spells out the name of three common singing/talking birds, Bulbul, Moyna and Parakeet. Not only this, numerous others Bengali songs and nursery rhymes have been written on Bulbul bird which I found in plenty around my locality. Though there exists various types, Red-vented Bulbuls are my neighbors in true sense.
This is the second most populous bird in the area, I found after the omnipresent crows, with a peculiar habit of sitting always on the tip of twigs . It also explains why this resident bird of West Bengal is also in the list of “100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species”!
Always calling with different tunes, fighting with each other, they will make you hear them. Its head is so dark, it is very difficult to get a clear picture of the whole bird!
Bengali Name
বুলবুলি/বুলবুল
Male – Female Distinction
This species doesn’t have a clear distinction for males and females, both are identical.
Residency Status
Resident of West Bengal.
General Behaviors
- Usually found 2-3 birds or more together.
- Small insects or fruits are their favourite.
- Have a ‘don’t care’ attitude towards humans !
Places where I have found them
They are found through out the city of Kolkata and also everywhere in the state.
