Yellow-browed Bulbul

The yellow-browed or golden-browed bulbul is a crestless bulbul about 20cm long, olive-green above and all yellow below, with a prominent yellow eyebrow and eye-ring. The bill is black and the eye reddish-brown, and the sexes look alike. Northern Western Ghats birds are paler yellow than those further south, and south-western Sri Lankan birds greener. Its calls include a whistle and sharp pick-wick notes. It is the only member of its genus, and its closest relative appears to be Hemixos flavala (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is regarded as the wet-zone counterpart of the dry-zone white-browed bulbul, living mainly below the canopy of hill forests and plantations. It is easily located by its loud calls but tends to skulk in the foliage, and is found in pairs or small groups. Three subspecies are recognised. SoIB 2023 treats it as endemic to the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka and resident with a moderate range, estimates a long-term decline of about 64% with a stable current trend, and rates it a Moderate conservation priority (Wikipedia, general species account; SoIB 2023).