The brown-eared bulbul is a medium-sized bulbul native to eastern Asia. It is extremely common within the northern parts of its range and can be found from southern Sakhalin to the northern Philippines.
Taxonomy and systematics
The brown-eared bulbul was originally described in the genus Turdus. Later, some authorities placed it in the genus Ixos and then the genus Microscelis, before being re-classified to Hypsipetes in 2010. Alternate names for the brown-eared bulbul include the Asian brown-eared bulbul, chestnut-eared bulbul, and Eurasian brown-eared bulbul.
Subspecies
Twelve subspecies are currently recognized:
Japanese brown-eared bulbul – : Also named the Japanese chestnut-eared bulbul. Found on southern Sakhalin, Japan and South Korea
Reaching a length of about, brown-eared bulbuls are grayish-brown, with brown cheeks and a long tail. While they prefer forested areas, they readily adapt to urban and rural environments, and their noisy squeaking calls are a familiar sound in most areas of Japan.
Distribution and habitat
The brown-eared bulbul is common in a very large range that includes the Russian Far East, northeastern China, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan, south to Taiwan and the Babuyan and Batanesisland chains in the north of the Philippines. Historically, brown-eared bulbuls were migratory birds moving to the southern parts of its range in winter, but they have taken advantage of changes in crops and farming practices in recent decades to overwinter in areas farther north than previously possible. Most brown-eared bulbuls still move south in winter, often forming huge flocks during migration. They are considered agricultural pests in some areas of Japan where they may invade orchards and damage crops such as cabbages, cauliflowers and spinach.
Behaviour
Breeding
Around five eggs are laid by females, who then incubate the egg. Brown-eared bulbuls are frequently parasitized by cuckoos, whose chicks will push bulbul eggs and chicks out of the nest.
Feeding
In summer, brown-eared bulbuls primarily feed on insects, while they mostly take fruits and seeds in the fall and winter. At this time, they also feed on the nectar from Camellia flowers, becoming dusted with yellow pollen in the process. In this way they help to pollinate the flowers at a time of year when there are few insect pollinators around.
