Common Bulbul

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

Very likely. About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Common Bulbul sighting in Ouagadougou on a given day, based on 84 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 86 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

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

January and September. In those months about 90% of wildlife watchers report a Common Bulbul in Ouagadougou on a given day, against about 70% in March, the lowest month. February, August and November have 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 Ouagadougou the best place to see a Common Bulbul?

8th of 42. Of the 42 cities where we can rate Common Bulbul sightings, Ouagadougou ranks 8th at about 80%. The best odds are in Lusaka (Zambia, about 90%), Marrakesh (Morocco, about 90%) and Abuja (Nigeria, about 90%).

Q: Which relatives of the Common Bulbul live in Ouagadougou?

Same order: Passeriformes. The closest relatives of the Common Bulbul that you can see in Ouagadougou (order Passeriformes, Perching Birds) are Village Weaver (about 80%), Yellow-crowned Gonolek (about 80%) and Beautiful Sunbird (about 80%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

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 Ouagadougou (84 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 ~80% · Very likely

at Ouagadougou

In 3 days >90%

84 Verified sightings at Ouagadougou

31,843 In all 50 parks From 2019 to 2026

September 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 Ouagadougou

Ploceus cucullatus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Laniarius barbarus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Cinnyris pulchellus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Turdus pelios

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Lagonosticta senegala

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Camaroptera brachyura

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Uraeginthus bengalus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Terpsiphone viridis

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Corvinella corvina

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Lamprotornis caudatus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Ploceus melanocephalus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Hippolais polyglotta

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Before you go

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

Very likely

About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Common Bulbul sighting in Ouagadougou on a given day, based on 84 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 86 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

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

January and September

In those months about 90% of wildlife watchers report a Common Bulbul in Ouagadougou on a given day, against about 70% in March, the lowest month. February, August and November have 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 Ouagadougou the best place to see a Common Bulbul?

8th of 42

Of the 42 cities where we can rate Common Bulbul sightings, Ouagadougou ranks 8th at about 80%. The best odds are in Lusaka (Zambia, about 90%), Marrakesh (Morocco, about 90%) and Abuja (Nigeria, about 90%).

Which relatives of the Common Bulbul live in Ouagadougou?

Same order: Passeriformes

The closest relatives of the Common Bulbul that you can see in Ouagadougou (order Passeriformes, Perching Birds) are Village Weaver (about 80%), Yellow-crowned Gonolek (about 80%) and Beautiful Sunbird (about 80%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

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 Ouagadougou (84 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 Ouagadougou

Common Bulbul

About the Common Bulbul

Sounds

Recent sightings of Common Bulbul in Ouagadougou

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at Ouagadougou

Village Weaver

Yellow-crowned Gonolek

Beautiful Sunbird

African Thrush

Red-billed Firefinch

Green-backed Camaroptera

Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu

African Paradise-Flycatcher

Yellow-billed Shrike

Long-tailed Glossy Starling

Black-headed Weaver

Melodious Warbler

Before you go

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

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

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

Is Ouagadougou the best place to see a Common Bulbul?

Which relatives of the Common Bulbul live in Ouagadougou?

Where does the Common Bulbul sighting chance come from?