Category Archives: Bulbul
Red-whiskered Bulbul at Bombo Headland
A few days ago, I visited Bombo Headland Geological Site on the east coast of Australia, south of Sydney. There were several Red-whiskered Bulbuls flitting around the bushes. This one was perched on a messy clump of Lantana, with the impressive cliffs of the headland in the background.
Red-whiskered Bulbuls are pretty little birds, with striking black, red, and white markings. They’re native to southern Asia (India, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Malaysia), and were introduced into Sydney in the late 1800s.
Common name: Red-whiskered Bulbul
Scientific name: Pycnonotus jocosus
Approximate length: 20 cm
Date spotted: 31 May 2025 (autumn)
Location: Bombo Headland Geological Site, NSW, Australia: 34°39’03.6″S 150°51’42.3″E
Bombo Headland is worth a visit, with its impressive rock formations and churning sea currents:
Would you like to know more about this amazing, slightly eery location? My bookmark, the Travelling Worm, has published a post about our visit to Bombo Headland Geological Site.
Red-whiskered Bulbul with view of Sydney Harbour
Red-whiskered Bulbuls are native to southern Asia (India, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Malaysia), and were introduced into Sydney in the late 1800s. They’re found mostly around the inhabited areas, rather than in the more remote countryside.
It’s a pretty little bird, with striking black, red, and white markings. In this picture, the tall crest on its head seems to be divided into two parts, a little like horns.
The next photo includes the Banksia bush that the bird is sitting on and the dense vegetation around the bird:
This is the second time I’ve spotted a Red-whiskered Bulbul in this area of Sydney Harbour, on a promontory called Dobroyd Head. The bird has certainly picked a spot with a view! The next video focuses on the bird, then zooms out to show the steep hill descending to Sydney Harbour. In the distance is the opening that leads from the harbour to the ocean.
Common name: Red-whiskered Bulbul
Scientific name: Pycnonotus jocosus
Approximate length: 20 cm
Date spotted: 1 January 2024 (summer)
Location: Dobroyd Head, Sydney Harbour, Australia: 33°48’38.6″S 151°16’05.4″E
Red-whiskered Bulbul
Red-whiskered Bulbuls are evidently quite common around Sydney, but this is the first time I’ve seen one! It’s a pretty little bird, with striking black, red, and white markings and a tall crest on its head like a woodpecker.
In this video, the bird is very far away and I had to do some radical zooming with my camera. You can hear the bulbul’s pretty call:
These birds are native to south Asia, and introduced into Sydney in the late 1800s. They tend to stay in areas close to human habitation.
Here’s a still picture of the bird:
Common name: Red-whiskered Bulbul
Scientific name: Pycnonotus jocosus
Approximate length: 20 cm
Date spotted: 5 June 2022 (winter)
Location: Dobroyd Head, Sydney Harbour, Australia: 33°48’38.6″S 151°16’05.4″E
Sydney Birder 