Sooty headed bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster)

Kutilang or sooty-headed bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster) is a species of chirping bird in Pycnonotidae and at least nine subspecies were recorded, often in groups when looking for food or perching with its own species or with other Pycnonotidae or even with other Passeriformes.

P. aurigaster has a medium size where the overall length is around 20 cm, the upper side of the back and tail is grayish brown, while the lower side of the throat, neck, chest and abdomen is grayish white. The head covering the forehead, hat and crest has a black color. The tail end is white and the buttock is orange. The iris is red, the beak is black and the legs are black.

Sooty-headed bulbul often visits open places, roadsides, gardens, yards, bushes and secondary forests to an altitude of 1,600 m above sea level. Often found life in the park and the yard in urban areas.

Kutilang generally eats soft fruits which often angers farmers for punching holes in papaya and bananas ready to harvest in the garden. But this bird also benefits them because it preys on various insects, caterpillars and other plant pests.

This group often flies in a noisy voice, sounds "cuk, cuk, ... tuit, tuit!" They have the habit of sunbathing and showering dew every morning by perching on the canopy. The beak is always busy oiling the feathers and this oil comes from the back of the tail.

P. aurigaster has a habit of raising crests if they are happy and want to defecate. This bird will tend not to move much and not chirp when the old feathers fall out and change with new feathers. The nest has a cup shape from woven grass leaves, petioles and fine twigs. Two or three pinkish-gray and gray eggs are placed in April to September.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Pycnonotidae
Genus: Pycnonotus
Species: P. aurigaster
Subspecies: Pycnonotus aurigaster aurigaster, Pycnonotus aurigaster chrysorrhoides, Pycnonotus aurigaster dolichurus, Pycnonotus aurigaster germani, Pycnonotus aurigaster klossi, Pycnonotus aurigaster latouchei, Pycnonotus aurigaster resurrectus, Pycnonotus aurigaster schauenseei, Pycnonotus aurigaster thais.

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