Brown-eared Bulbul (Hypsipetes amaurotis) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

The brown-eared is one of the most familiar backyard birds in Japan and Korea, but it is not a regular wild bird in the United States. The brown-eared bulbul has a long tail, loud calls, and chestnut-brown cheek patches that give it its name. It eats fruit and nectar and visits winter camellias in Japan.

Appearance

Appearance: About 11 in (28 cm) long, gray-brown overall with brown cheek patches and a long tail.
Voice: Makes loud, shrill calls throughout the year.

Look-alikes

Red-whiskered BulbulPycnonotus jocosus

Red-whiskered Bulbuls (Pycnonotus jocosus) introduced to the United States have a sharp black crest, a red patch behind the eye, and red below the tail. Brown-eared Bulbuls are grayer with a broad brown cheek patch.

Why they get mixed upBoth are noisy Asian bulbuls with long tails.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: Forests
Towns and cities
Parks and gardens
Farmland
Range: Lives in East Asia from the Korean Peninsula and Japan south to Taiwan and islands of the northern Philippines. It is not a regular wild bird in the United States.
Seasonal presence: In Japan, some northern birds move south for winter while others stay year-round.

Behavior

Diet: In its East Asian range, it eats insects in summer and fruit in colder months. It also drinks nectar from camellia flowers in Japan.

Life cycle

Breeding season: April through August in parts of its East Asian range.
Nest: In parts of East Asia, it makes a cup-shaped nest in a tree or shrub about 5–15 ft (1.5–4.5 m) above ground.
Clutch size: About 5 eggs
Incubation: 13–14 days

Name and classification

About the name: About a dozen are recognized. Most live on islands of southern Japan, Taiwan, and the northern Philippines, and a few of them have their own English names, such as the Bonin bulbul (Hypsipetes amaurotis squamiceps) of the Ogasawara Islands.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction

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