Yellow Vented Bulbuls

Yellow Vented Bulbul is a song bird, with black eyes, white eyebrows, olive-brownish feathers and white breast.  Their inquisitive gaze, animated demeanor, and melodious songs never fail to captivate my attention. Over time, I've developed the ability to identify these common birds in Southeast Asia through their unique calls and songs.

Although a frequent sight at the Singapore Botanic Garden, where they often forage alone but gather in flocks for roosting, I find myself photographing them every time, each encounter feeling like a fresh discovery. Occasionally, I am lucky to witness them in pairs, revealing an added layer of endearment.

Despite my infatuation with these feathered friends, it took me a while to notice a couple of their distinct features – the yellow vent and the subtle crest atop their heads. The oversight was likely due to the angles at which I initially observed them. The revelation of their yellow vents occurred during a moment on a hiking trail when a yellow-vented bulbul, foraging solo, turned its tail toward me. As it bent to pick up a seed, its vent pointed upwards, unveiling the conspicuous yellow patch.

The discovery of their slight crests came even later, just a couple of weeks ago at Kent Ridge Park. A flock of yellow-vented bulbuls adorned several fruit trees along the trail, and it was then that I noticed the subtle crests on their heads. Confirming my observations through literature, I learned that male yellow-vented bulbuls sport these slight crests, while females do not. This newfound awareness prompted me to pen down this summary, capturing the joy and intrigue that observing yellow-vented bulbuls has brought to me.