Lifer 593 - BULBUL 26 /29 : Black & White Bulbul (August 2026)

Finally after more than 20 years of birding my gang got  news of the re-appearance of this rarity bulbul down south of Peninsula Malaysia. We missed the June-July sighting report by other birders;  that case it was nesting and too sensitive to divulge . This time  my gang made the effort to drive 4.5 hours to Kota Tinggi  to try our luck with our Johor gang. Thanks AT and ML ; JB John and Lim for their company.

Photo courtesy of MingLee@2026

It was not an easy bird to see as they are arboreal canopy bird   and feed in the clearstory of 50-100 feet fruiting trees. They have a wide range where there are fruiting trees.  They may stay a week or two here and then moving to the next fruiting spot. So whenever there are sighting it is best to take the trip soonest to the spot. The best time to chance on them is during the mating and breeding season from May - July of the year. Popular places to see them are at Merapoh, Taman Negara Tahan, Panti, Endau Rompin in Peninsula Malaysia. It is recorded as a visitor to Singapore in Pulau Ubin.

Don't mistake them for a OMR or Philentoma if you chance on them in the lower storey from afar. Its body is dark or brownish black with a obvoius splayed white patch on its upper covert of its wing. Supposedly red-eyed. Its rather small upto tp 6-7 inches.

Listen for its  metallic chweet call and hope they response to you. If there other birds around they may take their turn to feed as they tend to be bullied or harassed because of its small size.

When they are breeding they make their nest at low lying tree as low as 2-3 feet high. Here is a photo of a previous nest which surprising in the open without  undercover which is unusually tidy.

Photo courtesy of JB birders

We found a gem of a place to eat  here in Kota Tinggi for seafood dinner popular amongst  the locals- I would rate it 3.5/5 pulled down by its pricing which equal KL rates. Total damage RM162 for 3 dishes as shown.

Avian Sighting March 2026 - Olive-winged Bulbul

 I have not seen  the Olive-winged Bulbul for quite awhile. The trees at the temple hotspot of Maxwell hill Taiping were fruiting well in March attracting plenty of frugivorous birds especially the many  bulbuls 

Red-eyed Bulbul I would say is the most likely be seen amongst the 28 odd species in Malaysia

Bulbul ( Bornean split of peninsula Ocracheous) - Penan Bulbul

 I not sure whether to consider it  as a lifer  though it was a split recently in Aug 2021. It has some similarity to the low to mid montane Ochraceous or even Grey-cheeked of peninsula. The Penan bulbul (Alophoixus ruficrissus) is a species of songbird in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is found Borneo. It is usually found in the mid-storey of broad-leaved evergreen and rainforests up to 2000 metres elevation. It can be easily seen in KNP 

A brownish-olive bulbul with a wispy crest and a puffy, glowingly white throat. Inhabits lowland and montane forests, where it prefers primary or well-aged secondary growth. Forages in the middle and lower levels of the forest, usually in small, noisy flocks. Calls consist primarily of loud, dry “chek” notes; song is pleasant and warbling. Similar to Gray-cheeked Bulbul, but darker, especially on the underparts, with a more conspicuous white throat and a longer crest. (Extract from eBird)

Bulbul 1/26 Ochraceous Bulbul - Lost posting / listing

 

Bulbul 25/26 (Lifer no 479) - Sooty-headed bulbul

You will not see this bird much in Malaysia as it is a released bird or escapee.  It would be common to see in Indonesia and Thailand. It has been introduced to Singapore too. I hope like the red-whiskered bulbul it will populate a colony here and we can call it our own. Hei Malaysia is made up  of migrants anyway who later become Malaysians!!!

There are two subspecies one is yellow vented and the other is red vented Both can be found in Thailand. The last known  sighting was in 2015 at Bukit Tinggi too. That time there was a pair So it may be one of the same bird.

BULBUL 24/25 - Cinerous (Ashy) Bulbul (Peninsula)

Ashy Bulbul

 

Ashy Bulbul is medium size bulbul of about 21 cm or 8 inches. There is a variation in features in different region of SEA. In Peninsula Malaysia it has a greyish black crested crown and cheek. Its throat is tidy white and trim not like the Puff or Orchraceous Bulbuls, Its chest and belly greyish white

It can be seen in lowland forest from southern side ie Gunung Ledang, Panti Forest in Johor until highlands of Frasers, Bukit Tinggi and now in Awana Pahang as high as 2,000m.

Ashy Bulbul do move about following fruiting seasons. As such its not commonly seen.

My final bulbul yet to be photographed is the Black & White Bulbul which can be seen in Merapoh Pahang /Panti Johor and hopefully in Krau if I am lucky

BULBUL 3/25 - Black-crested Bulbul

Black -crested Bulbul

I was at Awana on Saturday 090906 after fetching the son to school -replacement classes for Hari Raya holidays. Toll have gone up RM4.00 each way. Weather in highland can be unpredictable........ after yesterday downpour I thought it will be clear and sunny but alas it was overcast with a hazy tinge in the air
I was enquiring around where is this Old Pumphouse road until I asked the polis personnel at the Genting guard post. Aiyoh it was just next to it. Apparently the gate is only open on Sunday. Sifu Wong did not tell me........No choice but to skip the place.

So just drive about let's check out the ole skyvan station..... nothing happening there and found an inconspicious tarmac track next to Awana entrance. Met Pingsu and Susan fellow birders yahoo group. Spend about 2 hrs there but no real lifer. Left the place and was on the way down then to kill some time drove to the Aminudin Baki Institiut where there was a lot of bird calls. Here I got a glimpse of broadbill short of a photo.

Later a lifer of a Black Crested Bulbul with its distinct pointed crest and whitish eyes. Got it at 20 ft up with a bit of good light. Last seen was in Fraser Hill 2005

Location Almost everywhere

BULBUL 23/25 - Black-headed Bulbul

Black-headed bulbul

 

Blue eyes my sweet blue eyes..........its is one of gregarious bulbul found commonly in lowland and submontane jungle of Malaysia. It olive body is very much distinct with black primaries feathers and tails. There is also grey morph if you are lucky to see one with its chest and belly in grey shades.

 

Normally they feed in a group and is therefore quite rowdy and approachable unless they are nesting

 

 

 

Nesting of bulbuls are usually in low lying shrubs or undergrowths away from sight. There will be most probably 2-3 eggs. Breeding season is between May-Sept. This nest was found almost at ground level. I was very concern of their choice of the nest location which was just next to the road trail and conspicious to passerby. There were 2 eggs and the parents took turns to incubate them rain or shine. This photos were taken in June. Last weekend hoping to see the chicks but alas the nest was abandoned by the birds.One of the egg was still intact and the other was missing. The surrounding vegetation was found flattened by intruding bird photogs is my guess...............just wanting to get the best shot. The continuous stressing & harassment of their nest before they hatch had caused the parents to abandon their nest.

Very sad that fellow bird photogs do not have the etiquette not to intrude & disturb their habitat. So I do not blame a birder's selfishness not to post his/ her find until the bird fledge or divest location of bird nesting. Are u guys worthy to be called nature photographers? Shameless sigh............

BULBUL 22/25 - Buff-vented Bulbul

 Buff-vented Bulbul

Looking at the upper hooked mandible its cannot be a bulbul. My only thought is the juvenile moustached or white breasted..........alrite its is a bulbul but still a lifer nevertheless Very common in TRA and Congkak Hulu Langat

The bulbul have pale to bluish eyes if you look closely. It is one of the broader bodied bulbul. As you can see in the pictures they do go for moths and flying insects besides fruits and berries.

 

BULBUL 21/25 - Cream-vented Bulbul

 Cream-vented Bulbul




This bulbul distinguished from the other bulbul cousins by its white eye. You can called it the white-eyed bulbul. At time it can squint its eyes like the picture here.

It is a lowland bird and can be sighted in Krau Pahang and Virgin jungle visiting fruiting trees and shrubs.

BULBUL 20/25 - Finsch's Bulbul

Finsch's Bulbul

 

Finsch must be the guy who recorded this bird. Finsch's Bulbul got this yellow puffy chin which is distinct from the Ochraceous which have whitish beard. Size is about 7-8 inches long. It has a black streak over its red eyes; dark beaked and yellow vented down its belly

Most of the time its in small groups of 3-5 Found in lowland forest. Feeding on figs. There are still some lifers at Taman Rekreasi Ampang after all.............

 

BULBUL 19/25 - Grey-bellied Bulbul

Grey-bellied  Bulbul

 

Kemensah getting to be the place for Bulbul. Month of March with plenty of berries tree fruiting there is myriads of bulbul congregate to feast. Just ready your camera at the right position and just wait.

Head and underpart grey in color The underpart of tail covert is yellow making it an easy id. Male & Female same same.

"Chirrup chirrup" they will call and you can snap away. Endemic and resident of lowland and lower range montane areas of Peninsula

Another rare Bulbul.....for me le. Sometimes it is worth taking a shot of any bird that u come across . The worse u do is delete it later if it is not a lifer.

BULBUL 17/25 - Grey-cheeked Bulbul

Grey-cheeked Bulbul

 

Supposedly a common bird but I only seen it now. It's features are a cross between the Puff-throated and Ochraceous . It has a crest but inconspicious and grey face of the former whilst it chest has the colors of the latter.

Size wise its about 8 inches or 22cm a moist lowland forest bird upto 900m. I believe it do move about like the Finsch following the fruiting of berries and fruits of shrubery trees as their staple food whilst insects and nectar are its secondary source of food.

Breeding start as early as Jan until July and their nest are like a cup made from twigs, barks and vegetation in discreet low undergrowth.

 

BULBUL 18/25 - Hairy-backed Bulbul

Hairy-backed Bulbul

This bulbul have these long loose hairs protruding from its back. I always mistaken it for a flycatcher from afar.

BULBUL 16/25 - Mountain Bulbul

Mountain Bulbul

This is like the Streaked Bulbul except that the mountain one have this ruff crown a bit of a punk look. Native to Peninsula hill areas. Its kinda large bulbul of 24cm long compared to the others bulbul with the exception of the Straw -headed. That is why people are bigger in size in temperate cold country.

BULBUL 14/25 - Olive-winged Bulbul

Olived -winged Bulbul

 

Olive-winged Bulbul can be mistaken as a Red-eyed Bulbul or the Streak-eared Bulbul because it too have red eye and some streak to its cheek respectively. Nevertheless if you look closer you will notice white ear streak and white throated and of course the wing and inner tail are yellowish green.

It is a common lowland forest bird (below 650m) of 20cm in length. Forage in pair for fruits, insects like moths/beetles and even nectar in middle storey These bulbuls are not shy and can approach you to a close distance of 20 feet. They are monogamous and breed from Jan- Aug and their nest are found on low trees upto 3m.

BULBUL 15/25 - Puff-backed Bulbul

Puff-backed Bulbul

 

Got this lifer in Mulu Sarawak on my visit there this week. Alagan got one in Bkt Rengit sometime back in 2007. This bird is uncommon but can be found in lowland forest in Peninsula.

One of the larger bulbul of 9 inches or 23cm with fairly similar features of a bulbul except its distinct feature is its patch of short crest. In Mulu there is a colony of them. Usually stays high up in the canopy. I was lucky there was a bunch of them mocking a green snake at middle storey ...if not no chance of a good shot.

It is gregarious and most often found together with other birds foraging from trees to trees for fruits and anting.

 

  

This is the first time I am seeing it in Peninsula Malaysia in 2012. Previously I saw it in Mulu Sarawak side.It supposedly an uncommon bulbul to see. This one was seen at Krau forest reserve side of Pahang.

These are the latest taken in Bukit Rengit Pahang June 2013