Photo Credits: pg 3- anchor
One of the less frequently seen in Goa, I’m an arboreal passerine (tree dwelling) bird who likes to hide in dense evergreen reed-bamboo and lantana thickets in forest undergrowth. I’m scientifically known as and endemic to heavy rainfall areas of the Southern Western Ghats, I’m found in pockets of Goa down through Kerala and highlands of Tamil Nadu.
I blend in well in my environment with my grey-headed olive-green plumage. My prominent yellow-green forehead, broad square tail and conspicuous bluish-white eyes, help people distinguish me from the 6 others members of the Bulbul family found in Goa.
Some of my less striking features are my greenish-grey bill and pinkish-yellow legs. I measure 19 cm and both sexes are alike. The yellow on the forehead of juveniles is duller, and the head is a dark olive, as opposed to grey.
Because I keep to the canopy, either alone, in a pair or small hunting parties, I’m most easily recognisable via my sharp, metallic, whistling call, which sounds like “” or “”. http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Pycnonotus-priocephalus
I am what you’d call a ‘local migrant’, which means I move short distance in response to availability of food, and onset of breeding season. On my diet are berries, fruits (figs) and sometimes insects.
My breeding season is from Mar to July. During this time I can be found at mid-level evergreen forests (700 -1400 m), and the rest of the time in lower altitude moist deciduous and scrub forests.
When my mate and I are ready to build a nest, we chose a location deep inside a dense forest, our favourite being within reed-bamboo. Here we fasten a shallow cup of dead grass, vines or leaves onto branches with spider webs. This process takes approximately 7 days. Inside the nest 1, sometimes 2 pale pink-violet eggs are laid and incubated for a period of 12-14 days.
The rearing of our nestlings takes a further 11-13 days. We both share in these responsibilities. The predator we’re constantly on the lookout for is the Indian Palm Squirrel. They can easily navigate through the bamboo.
My conservation status according to the IUCN is ‘Near Threatened’ due to fragmentation and destruction of habitat. I’m a habitat specific bird, which is another way of saying I don’t do well in altered habitats, such as plantations.
So please advocate and help conserve my habitat. Reed-bamboo is often cut down to use as pulp for paper-making. Whenever possible recycle, reuse and reduce consumption of paper. Some examples of this are: using your mobiles to jot down notes, choose not to print out unimportant email / reports, and reuse newspaper as eco-friendly gift wrap.
You can make a difference!
Image Credit: Prasanna Parab
