Square-tailed Bulbul
A species of Indian Ocean Bulbuls and Allies Scientific name : Hypsipetes ganeesa Genus : Indian Ocean Bulbuls and Allies
Square-tailed Bulbul, A species of Indian Ocean Bulbuls and Allies
Botanical name: Hypsipetes ganeesa
Genus: Indian Ocean Bulbuls and Allies
Content
Description General Info
Photo By Ashwin Viswanathan
Description
The square-tailed bulbul lacks the black streak behind the eye and on the ear-coverts that is present in the black bulbul.
Size
24 cm
Feeding Habits
Square-tailed Bulbul primarily eats fruits, seeds, and insects, favoring berries from Ziziphus and Eugenia plants. It also consumes nectar, foraging from flowers of Erythrina and Loranthus. Square-tailed Bulbul displays adaptable feeding behaviors, often joining mixed species flocks or forming large groups to feed. It captures insects both from foliage and in flight, occasionally clinging to vertical trunks for food.
Habitat
The square-tailed Bulbul typically inhabits a wide range of forest environments, from heavily degraded wooded areas to those intermingled with plantation landscapes. These birds are found in regions characterized by wet zone lowlands and adjoining mid-altitude hills, and they may seasonally migrate into drier zones or move to higher altitudinal forests.
Dite type
Frugivorous
General Info
Behavior
In southern India, nesting activity begins in February and rises to a peak in May. The eggs hatch after an incubation period of 12 to 13 days and the chicks fledge after about 11 or 12 days. Populations make movements in response to the monsoon. Nest predators include birds of prey and snakes such as the black-winged kite and oriental ratsnake. Adult square-tailed bulbuls have been known to be preyed upon by the crested goshawk.
Photo By Ashwin Viswanathan