Black-and-white Bulbul

This species is defined as a Review Species. Please submit your records of this species via our record submission page.

Scientific Name: Microtarsus melanoleucos
Malay Name: Merbah Bahu Putih
Chinese Name: 黑白鹎

Range:
Found from the Thai-Malay Peninsula to Sumatra and Borneo.

Taxonomy:
Monotypic.

Size: 18 cm

Identification:
Male has overall blackish-brown plumage with contrasting white upper- and underwing-coverts. Female is somewhat browner than male and has less white on upperwing-coverts. Juvenile is paler and browner (especially the underparts) and lacks white on upperwing-coverts.

Habitat: Forest and forest edge.

Behaviour/Ecology: Nomadic. Often frequents the canopy which make observations difficult.

Local Status: Very rare non-breeding visitor

Conservation Status: Near Threatened (BirdLife International 2016)

Featured articles:

Featured reports: May 2022

Past accepted records in our database:

Black-and-white Bulbul at Chek Jawa, Pulau Ubin. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Female Black-and-white Bulbul at Panti Forest. Photo Credit: Con Foley
Black-and-white Bulbul at Jelutong Tower. Photo Credit: Francis Yap
Black-and-white Bulbul at Chek Jawa, Pulau Ubin. Photo credit: Francis Yap
External Links:
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (Black-and-white Bulbul)
References:
BirdLife International. (2016). Microtarsus melanoleucos. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22712616A94339056.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023
Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.
Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula (Vol. 1). Academic Press, London.