Black bulbul - Hypsipetes leucocephalus nigerrimus (Gould, 1863)
Global distribution: Widely distributed in the southern part of Asia from the Indian Peninsula to southern China, Hainan, Taiwan and Indochina.
Taiwan distribution: Widely distributed in forest environments from the lowlands to mid elevation.
Habitat and behavior: This is an endemic subspecies. It is mostly active in forests, parks or in wastelands near forests. It prefers the upper layers of broadleaved forest in low and mid-elevation mountainous areas. It is often found in groups outside of the reproductive season. Groups can vary in size from a few to dozens of individuals. It prefers to fly quickly among tall trees or along the tops of withered trees. It usually emits loud calls as it flies. It sometimes hides amid thick growths of branches and leaves and emits a call that resembles that of a cat. Its reproductive season is between April and July. It mostly builds its nests in trees. Occasionally, it will build nests on the balconies of buildings in urban areas.
Diet: Mainly feeds on insects, fruits and nectar.
First records in Taiwan: 1. Gould, J. , 1862 (1863). Proc. Zool. Soc. 3: 282. 2. Swinhoe, R., 1863. Ibis 1863: 287-289.
Date discovered: 1861-1862.
Location of first discovery: Not specified.
Excerpt of summary of original text: (Record 2) This species can be observed in the forests in inland mountain areas. It mainly feeds on juicy fruits and banyan tree fruit. Insects also make up part of its diet, especially small-sized insects of the order Coleoptera. In the winter, it forms small groups and remains in forests at various elevations. In spring, these groups disperse and individuals search for a suitable nesting site. At this time, it is possible to see pairs of these birds in the lowland forests.--From Development History of Birds in Taiwan by Lin Wen-Hong (1997), Taiwan Interminds Publishing.
