Goa is a blessed home for seven species of bulbuls. Of these seven, two are very common and widespread in the state and almost all of us would have encountered them. One among them is the Red-vented Bulbul easily identified by its short crest resembling the mohawk of a singing sensation. The body of the Red-vented Bulbul is dark brown with a scaly pattern while the head is black in colour. The rump is white and the vent is red, with the tail tipped white.
The Red-vented Bulbul is a common resident in India with seven known subspecies having being described till date. They usually prefer scrub jungles and secondary forests of deciduous types and avoid totally evergreen forests. They usually flock together in groups of two to five individuals and are occasionally found as a part of mixed foraging flocks. They feed on fruits, petals of flowers, nectar, insects and occasionally geckos and frogs. It has been noted that sometimes they come to the ground to feed on winged termites just before rains.
The Red-vented Bulbul has a very cheery “call generally rendered while on perch. They have a varied range of calls which has been recorded and documented. This species is also very attentive of its surroundings and is the first to give out alarm calls when in a mixed hunting flock which is recognised by all other members.
This species usually breeds just before the onset of monsoons. Dr. Salim Ali has noted that a displaying male spreads out his wings above its head and slowly flutters them up and down like a fan. Competition between males is very fierce during the breeding season. Challenging males assume fighting positions continuously uttering harsh calls and literally locking claws and fighting it out. Upon mating, the nest is constructed using rootlets, twigs and leaves which are bound with grass and cobwebs. These nests are usually constructed at less than three meters height. Each brood has two to three eggs with a single egg laid every morning for three days. This results in difference in size of chicks in the nest. Male shares duties of nest building, incubation and tending of young ones with the female.
Red-vented Bulbul has been introduced in many parts of the world and due to its generalist feeding habitat has spread rapidly where ever it was introduced. Their rate of growth and hence effect on those local habitats are so vast that they have been classified as one of the 100 most invasive animals of the world.
Because of their large distribution and good population size International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed this species as least concerned in terms of conservation prioritisation. In Goa, this species was historically not well spread and its population was quite small, but in recent years there has been a sudden spurt in their numbers. It is speculated that the shift in the monsoon patterns has resulted in more deciduous patches being formed in former evergreen patches which has resulted in suitable habitats for this species to thrive and grow in.
Image Credit: Arabinda Pal
