The sooty-headed bulbul

Two sooty-headed bulbuls, siblings from a clutch, rest on a tree branch by the Dasha River in Nanshan District. Photos by Isaac Cohen

The sooty-headed bulbul

Following up on last weekend’s species, one more member of the bulbul family is yet to be described. The beautiful sooty-headed bulbul (Pycnonotus aurigaster) is a medium-sized bird measuring 20 centimeters. It has a beautiful black cap that crosses over the eyes and has white patches on the cheeks. Below the black cap, the bird has an attractive ash gray coloration that covers the entirety of its body. The wings are a darker gray, as is its tail, which, however, ends with a white tip. They are a delight to observe when in flight.

继上周的白头鹎之后，我们本周要介绍的是鹎科家族中的另一位成员：白喉红臀鹎。这种体长约20厘米的鸟类头部具显著的黑色顶冠，颊白色，身体覆羽呈浅灰色，飞羽及尾羽则呈深灰色，顶部占白色，飞翔的时候十分赏心悦目。

A sooty-headed bulbul rests on a rock in Shenzhen Bay Park. 

The Latin name of the animal, aurigaster, comes from the word meaning “golden belly,” referring to a golden coloration on the underbelly of their youngsters. It darkens with the passing days and turns into a reddish coloration. The bill is black, as are the legs.

白喉红臀鹎的学名Aurigaster源于拉丁语的“金色的腹部”一词，因为亚成鸟的尾下覆羽是金黄色的，随着年龄的增长，羽毛的颜色逐渐变深，最终转为深红色。它们的喙和脚皆呈黑色。

A sooty-headed bulbul rests on a rock in Shenzhen Bay Park. 

This fascinating bird is widely distributed across the city, especially in the parks or near rivers. It is easily spotted across the Dasha River Corridor, where it feeds on basically anything available. They are opportunistic predators and considered to be a generalist species, which explains their solid adapting capabilities.

白喉红臀鹎在深圳十分常见，尤其是各大市政公园及靠近水域的地方，大沙河生态长廊就是它们的主要栖息地之一。这种机会主义觅食者几乎什么都吃，在全球各地都有广泛分布，适应环境的能力极强。

Its breeding season runs from March to July in our city, where it lays up to four eggs per clutch.

白喉红臀鹎每年3月至7月繁殖，每窝产卵可达4枚。

A sooty-headed bulbul rests on a rock in Shenzhen Bay Park. 

The trio of bulbuls, this one along with the red-whiskered bulbul and the light-vented bulbul, are decorating our beautiful city with their magnificence. Let’s keep working to preserve the natural environment so that our local species can thrive.

白喉红臀鹎、红耳鹎、白头鹎是深圳本地数量最丰富的三种留鸟。让我们行动起来，共同保护它们生存的家园。