About Pycnonotus leucotis (Gould, 1836)
Description and vocalisations: The white-eared bulbul has a rotund build and a brownish-grey body. Its tail is relatively long and tapers outward; the tail feathers are black at the base, ending in white tips. The head is black, with a large white patch covering the cheek area. The bulbul has bare eye rings and a short beak, and its vent is bright yellow. Its song is not uniform, instead made up of a set of notes that can form different melodies. While the song is brief, it is described as "pleasant and fluid." Distribution: This species is native to western India, most of Pakistan, southern Afghanistan, coastal Iran, most of the Tigris-Euphrates basin in Iraq, Kuwait, and the island of Bahrain. It has been introduced to other Persian Gulf countries, including Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. Ecology: Nests are most often built by females, formed into a messy cup shape from thin twigs, dry grass, and various plant fibers. Nests are placed in hidden locations in trees. Clutches hold 2 to 4 eggs, most commonly 3, and very rarely 5. The eggs are creamy white with purple spots. Incubation is done by the female, and lasts 13 to 14 days in Pakistan, or 10.5 to 12.5 days in Iraq. Both parents feed the chicks, which fledge 9 to 11 days after hatching in Iraq. Out of 19 observed nests in Iraq, only three (around 16%) successfully raised young; this low success rate is likely caused by crow predation, since most nests are poorly concealed. The white-eared bulbul is a monogamous species, and males aggressively defend their nesting territories from other males.
