Himalayan Bulbul

The Himalayan, or white-cheeked, bulbul is about 18 cm long with a wingspan of 25.5–28 cm and an average weight of 30 g. The head, throat and crest are black and white, the back, sides and long tail brown and the underside pale yellow, with the sexes similar. It is found in the northern regions of the Indian subcontinent and some adjoining areas, predominantly in Kashmir and near the Himalaya. Its song is a beautiful four-part whistle like an accelerated oriole whistle (Wikipedia, general species account).

It feeds on insects and other small invertebrates, and on berries, fruits, seeds, buds and nectar. Nests are usually in bushes or on low branches, cup-shaped and made of stems, roots and twigs, and adults become very territorial during breeding. The female usually lays three eggs, incubated for 12 days, and the chicks leave the nest at 9–11 days. SoIB 2023 treats it as a Himalayan endemic and rates it a Low conservation priority, a local migrant with a Moderate range of about 130,000 km² and an increase of about 61% over the long term (Wikipedia, general species account; SoIB 2023).