Common Bulbul

Q: What are the chances of seeing a Common Bulbul in Lilongwe?

Likely. About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Common Bulbul sighting in Lilongwe on a given day, based on 41 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 2nd most-seen of the 52 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

Q: When is the best time to see a Common Bulbul in Lilongwe?

November. In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Common Bulbul in Lilongwe on a given day, against about 30% in February and September, the lowest months. October has too few records to rate.

Q: What time of day is best to see a Common Bulbul?

Between 9 am and noon. Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Bulbul sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Q: Is Lilongwe the best place to see a Common Bulbul?

34th of 42. Of the 42 cities where we can rate Common Bulbul sightings, Lilongwe ranks 34th at about 40%. The best odds are in Lusaka (Zambia, about 90%), Marrakesh (Morocco, about 90%) and Abuja (Nigeria, about 90%).

Q: Where does the Common Bulbul sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records. It is estimated from how often the Common Bulbul is recorded against all the birds logged in Lilongwe (41 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

Pycnonotus barbatus

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyPycnonotidae (Bulbuls)
GenusPycnonotus (Typical Bulbuls)
SpeciesPycnonotus barbatus (Common Bulbul)

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

at Lilongwe

In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%

41 Verified sightings at Lilongwe

31,843 In all 50 parks From 2019 to 2026

November Best month

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

Challenge African City Birds AfricaEasy

About the Common Bulbul

The common bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus) is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is widespread throughout most of Africa except for the very arid areas, and has recently begun breeding in southernmost Spain. Ten subspecies are recognised based on the geographical variation in plumage. Some of these were formerly considered as separate species: Dodson's bulbul, the Somali bulbul and the dark-capped bulbul.

The common bulbul was formally described and illustrated in 1789 by the French botanist René Desfontaines from a specimen collected near Algiers in Algeria. He placed it with the thrushes in the genus Turdus and coined the binomial name Turdus barbatus. The common bulbul is now one of 31 species placed in the genus Pycnonotus that was introduced in 1826 by the German zoologist Friedrich Boie. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek πυκνος/puknos meaning "thick" or "compact" with -νωτος/-nōtos meaning "-backed". The specific epithet barbatus is Latin meaning bearded. Alternate names for the common bulbul include black-eyed bulbul, black-capped bulbul and common garden bulbul.

Ten subspecies are recognised. Several of these have sometimes... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Song0:33

Congo (Democratic Republic) · 2025

Call0:10

Gambia · 2024

Uncertain0:28

Algeria · 2025

Global Distribution

Where it is recorded most Our parks where it lives Our cities where it livesIn captivity: 4 zoos & centres

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	uMkhuze Game Reserve	🇿🇦 South Africa	~80%
2	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~70%
3	Nairobi National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~70%
4	Aberdare National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~70%
5	Volcanoes National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	~70%
6	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~70%
7	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~70%
8	Pilanesberg National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~70%
9	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~70%
10	Niokolo-Koba National Park	🇸🇳 Senegal	~70%
11	Virunga National Park	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	~70%
12	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~70%
13	Akagera National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	~70%
14	Gorongosa National Park	🇲🇿 Mozambique	~70%
15	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~70%
16	Nyungwe National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	~60%
17	Meru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~60%
18	Kibale National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~60%
19	Gonarezhou National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~60%
20	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~60%
21	Bwindi Impenetrable National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~60%
22	Mana Pools National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~60%
23	Lake Mburo National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~60%
24	Kidepo Valley National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~60%
25	Lower Zambezi National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~60%
26	Masai Mara National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	~60%
27	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~60%
28	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~50%
29	Semuliki National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~50%
30	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~50%
31	Samburu National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	~50%
32	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~50%
33	Mkomazi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~50%
34	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~50%
35	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	~50%
36	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~40%
37	Awash National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	~40%
38	Odzala-Kokoua National Park	🇨🇬 Republic of the Congo	~40%
39	Selous Game Reserve	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~40%
40	Mikumi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~40%
41	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~40%
42	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	~30%
43	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~30%
44	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~30%
45	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	~30%
46	Tarangire National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
47	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
48	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~20%
49	Bale Mountains National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	~20%
50	Golden Gate Highlands National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%

Cities Where Found

#	City	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Lusaka	🇿🇲 Zambia	~90%
2	Marrakesh	🇲🇦 Morocco	~90%
3	Abuja	🇳🇬 Nigeria	~90%
4	Harare	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~90%
5	Yaoundé	🇨🇲 Cameroon	~90%
6	Serrekunda	🇬🇲 Gambia	~90%
7	Kigali	🇷🇼 Rwanda	~80%
8	Ouagadougou	🇧🇫 Burkina Faso	~80%
9	Brazzaville	🇨🇬 Republic of the Congo	~80%
10	Johannesburg	🇿🇦 South Africa	~80%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

#	Zoo / Centre	Country
1	San Diego Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
2	Sedgwick County Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
3	Toledo Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
4	Philadelphia Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity

Closest Relatives at Lilongwe

Phyllastrephus terrestris

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Corvus albus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Cossypha heuglini

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Uraeginthus angolensis

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Laniarius major

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Passer domesticus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Crithagra mozambica

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Cinnyris venustus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Chalcomitra senegalensis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Dryoscopus cubla

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Passer diffusus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Ploceus velatus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Common Bulbul in Lilongwe?

Likely

About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Common Bulbul sighting in Lilongwe on a given day, based on 41 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 2nd most-seen of the 52 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Common Bulbul in Lilongwe?

November

In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Common Bulbul in Lilongwe on a given day, against about 30% in February and September, the lowest months. October has too few records to rate.

What time of day is best to see a Common Bulbul?

Between 9 am and noon

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Bulbul sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Lilongwe the best place to see a Common Bulbul?

34th of 42

Of the 42 cities where we can rate Common Bulbul sightings, Lilongwe ranks 34th at about 40%. The best odds are in Lusaka (Zambia, about 90%), Marrakesh (Morocco, about 90%) and Abuja (Nigeria, about 90%).

Where does the Common Bulbul sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Common Bulbul is recorded against all the birds logged in Lilongwe (41 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

← Back to Lilongwe

Common Bulbul

About the Common Bulbul

Sounds

Recent sightings of Common Bulbul in Lilongwe

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at Lilongwe

Terrestrial Brownbul

Pied Crow

White-browed Robin-Chat

Blue-breasted Cordonbleu

Tropical Boubou

House Sparrow

Yellow-fronted Canary

Variable Sunbird

Scarlet-chested Sunbird

Black-backed Puffback

Southern Gray-headed Sparrow

Southern Masked Weaver

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Common Bulbul in Lilongwe?

When is the best time to see a Common Bulbul in Lilongwe?

What time of day is best to see a Common Bulbul?

Is Lilongwe the best place to see a Common Bulbul?

Where does the Common Bulbul sighting chance come from?