Discovery of new bird species White-browed Bulbul (Pycnonotus luteolus) from Rajasthan

Udaipur : Currently, the Wildlife Research Laboratory of the Department of Zoology, Mohanlal Sukhadia University, has identified a new bird species, the White-browed Bulbul (Pycnonotus luteolus), from Rajasthan. This bird was first seen on the banks of Udayasagar Lake on 09 January 2023, but this species could not be identified at that time. A group of birds of the same species was seen again at the same place on 17 March 2023. At this time, the pictures and voices of these birds were recorded by all the members of the Wildlife Research Laboratory, Zoology Department. With the help of bird identification books, consultation with bird experts and examination of recorded bird calls, the species was identified as White-browed Bulbul (Pycnonotus luteolus). This record was published on 28 October 2023 in Issue 3 of Volume 19 of the research journal “Indian Birds”, published from Hyderabad.

Currently there are three known species of bulbul in Rajasthan: Red-vented bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer), White-eared bulbul (Pycnonotus leucotis) and Red-whiskered bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus). This is the first record of this species in Rajasthan. Now there are total 4 species of bulbul in Rajasthan. Dr. Vijay Kumar Koli, Assistant Professor, Department of Zoology, Mohanlal Sukhadia University and in-charge of Wildlife Research Laboratory, said that this species is mainly endemic and limited in the lower half of Peninsular India and Sri Lanka and its distribution in India is so far only in Southern India. Its northern borders are with Gujarat (Ahmedabad), Madhya Pradesh (Satpura Range), and western West Bengal (near Midnapore). Its distribution is mainly in plains with dry open scrub and also in gardens and forests with dense scrub, but not in areas with heavy rainfall such as the hills of the Western Ghats. This species is sometimes seen in rocky scrub with other bulbul species.
It has a white supercilium above the eye and a white superciliary line from the nostrils separated from one below the eye by black pores. Its upper parts are olive-brown in colour. The wings are very pale yellow on the edges, giving a striped appearance. In this, males and females are equal. Some birds of this species were seen in Gujarat a few years ago. Current observations indicate range extension of this species towards the north in the country. The presence of this species in Udaipur is a wave of happiness among all the wildlife lovers and bird lovers.