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The Yellow-browed Bulbul (Acritillas indica) is a small passerine bird endemic to the Western Ghats of southern India and Sri Lanka. It is characterized by its bright yellow supercilium and underparts, contrasting with olive-green upperparts. It is typically found in dense forest undergrowth and is more often heard than seen.
Size & lifespan
- Length
- 19-20 cm
- Wingspan
- 25-28 cm
- Weight
- 25-35 g
- Lifespan
- 5-7 years in the wild (estimated)
- Diet
- Omnivore (primarily frugivorous and insectivorous)
Physical characteristics
- Plumage
- Adults have olive-green upperparts, including the crown, nape, back, and wings. The most striking feature is a prominent bright yellow supercilium (eyebrow) extending from the lores to behind the eye. The underparts are entirely bright yellow, often slightly paler on the belly. The throat is also yellow. The tail is olive-green with yellowish outer rectrices.
- Beak shape
- Slender, slightly decurved, and pointed. Blackish-brown to black.
- Eye color
- Dark brown, almost black.
- Leg color
- Dark grey to blackish.
- Distinguishing features
- The combination of olive-green upperparts, bright yellow underparts, and a distinct bright yellow supercilium is diagnostic. No other bulbul in its range has this exact combination.
- Juvenile appearance
- Juveniles resemble adults but may have slightly duller plumage, with the yellow areas being less vibrant and the olive-green upperparts having a slightly browner tinge. The supercilium might be less sharply defined.
- Seasonal changes
- No significant seasonal plumage changes are observed.
- Sexual dimorphism
- Males and females are monomorphic in plumage, appearing identical.
How to identify
- 1
Plumage Coloration
Look for the striking contrast between olive-green upperparts and bright yellow underparts. This combination is unique among bulbuls in its range.
- 2
Yellow Supercilium
The most distinctive field mark is the prominent, bright yellow 'eyebrow' extending from the bill to behind the eye. This is a key identifier.
- 3
Vocalization
Learn its melodious, whistling song. Often, the bird is heard before it is seen, as it tends to stay hidden in dense foliage.
- 4
Habitat
Focus your search in dense undergrowth, forest edges, and shola forests within the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka.
- 5
Behavior
Observe its foraging behavior – gleaning insects and plucking berries from dense vegetation, often in the mid-story.
Habitat & range
- Biomes
- Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, montane forests.
- Geographic range
- Endemic to the Western Ghats of peninsular India (from southern Maharashtra south through Kerala and Tamil Nadu) and Sri Lanka.
- Elevation range
- Typically found from sea level up to 1,800 meters (occasionally higher, up to 2,100 meters in some areas).
- Preferred environments
- Dense undergrowth, forest edges, shola forests, coffee and cardamom plantations, and bamboo thickets within evergreen and semi-evergreen forests. Prefers areas with good shrub cover.
Behavior
- Activity time
- Diurnal, most active during the early morning and late afternoon.
- Feeding habits
- Forages primarily for fruits (especially berries) and insects. It gleans insects from foliage and branches, and plucks berries from shrubs and trees. Often seen foraging in the mid-story and undergrowth. May join mixed-species foraging flocks.
- Social behavior
- Usually seen singly or in pairs, especially during the breeding season. Outside of breeding, they may form small family groups or join mixed-species foraging flocks.
- Flight pattern
- Typically short, undulating flights between dense vegetation. Not known for long-distance flights.
- Migration pattern
- Resident throughout its range; no significant migratory movements are known.
- Territoriality
- Pairs are territorial, especially during the breeding season, defending their nesting area with vocalizations and occasional chases.
Song & calls
- Song
- The song is a series of loud, clear, and melodious whistles, often described as 'whi-whi-whi-whee-whee' or 'sweet-sweet-sweet-swee-swee'. It can be quite varied and musical, often delivered from a hidden perch within dense foliage.
- Call
- Common calls include a sharp 'chip' or 'chick' note, and a more emphatic 'whit-whit' or 'chick-chick'. Alarm calls are harsher and more rapid.
- When they vocalize
- Most vocal during the breeding season, but calls can be heard year-round. They are particularly vocal in the early morning and late afternoon.
Breeding & reproduction
- Breeding season
- Primarily from February to May, but can extend into June or July depending on rainfall and region.
- Nesting habits
- Nests are typically cup-shaped, well-concealed in dense bushes or small trees, usually 1-3 meters above the ground. Constructed from fine twigs, rootlets, leaves, and moss, often bound with spider silk.
- Clutch size
- 2-3 eggs.
- Egg description
- Eggs are typically pale pinkish-white to creamy-white, often speckled or blotched with reddish-brown or purplish-brown markings, particularly at the broader end. Usually oval-shaped.
- Incubation period
- Approximately 12-14 days.
- Fledging period
- Chicks fledge around 12-14 days after hatching.
- Parental care
- Both parents participate in nest building, incubation, and feeding of the young.
Where to find
Western Ghats National Parks/Wildlife Sanctuaries
Periyar National Park, Eravikulam National Park, Silent Valley National Park, Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, and various other protected areas in Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
Sri Lankan Forests
Sinharaja Forest Reserve, Horton Plains National Park, and other wet zone forests.
Coffee and Cardamom Plantations
These agricultural areas, especially those with good tree cover and undergrowth, can also host Yellow-browed Bulbuls.
Field tips
- Listen for its song. Its distinctive, melodious whistle is often the first indication of its presence. Once heard, try to locate the source within the dense foliage.
- Scan dense undergrowth. This species prefers to stay hidden. Use binoculars to carefully scan dense bushes, shrubs, and the lower canopy of trees.
- Visit early morning or late afternoon. These are typically the most active times for foraging and vocalization.
- Look for movement in mixed flocks. They sometimes join mixed-species foraging flocks, so observing such groups might lead to a sighting.
Similar species
Black-crested Bulbul
Rubigula flaviventris
The Black-crested Bulbul has a prominent black crest and a yellow throat, but lacks the distinct yellow supercilium and has a more olive-yellow belly, not bright yellow throughout the underparts.
Flame-throated Bulbul
Rubigula gularis
The Flame-throated Bulbul (also endemic to Western Ghats) has a distinctive orange-red throat and lacks the yellow supercilium and entirely yellow underparts of the Yellow-browed Bulbul. Its upperparts are also darker.
White-browed Bulbul
Pycnonotus luteolus
The White-browed Bulbul has a white supercilium and a white eye-ring, with duller, whitish underparts, contrasting sharply with the bright yellow markings of the Yellow-browed Bulbul.
Quick facts
- Endemic to:
- Western Ghats (India) and Sri Lanka
- Key ID Feature:
- Bright yellow supercilium and underparts
- Habitat:
- Dense forest undergrowth, sholas
- Diet:
- Fruits and insects
- Conservation Status:
- Least Concern
Fun facts
- Despite its bright coloration, the Yellow-browed Bulbul is often difficult to spot due to its preference for dense cover and its habit of moving quietly within the foliage.
- Its melodious song is a characteristic sound of the Western Ghats forests, often heard echoing through the dense vegetation.
- The species was formerly placed in the genus Iole and then in Ixos, but recent phylogenetic studies have placed it in its own monotypic genus, Acritillas, highlighting its unique evolutionary lineage.
Scientific classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Pycnonotidae
- Genus
- Acritillas
- Species
- indica
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