Tricholestes criniger
Silhouette: PhyloPic
In 3 days ~70% in a week >90%
The hairy-backed bulbul (Tricholestes criniger) is a songbird species in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is the sole species contained within the monotypic genus Tricholestes. It is found on the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
The hairy-backed bulbul was originally described in the genus Brachypodius (a synonym for Pycnonotus). Alternatively, some authorities have classified the hairy-backed bulbul in the genera Trichophorus (a synonym for Criniger) and Hypsipetes.
Found on western Sumatra Found on Borneo The hairy-backed bulbul is a small (16–17 cm long, weigh 12–21 g), relatively quiet bulbul with a slightly rounded tail and strong rictal bristles. It is olive above and yellowish below... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Khao Luang National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 2 | Danum Valley Conservation Area | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 3 | Taman Negara National Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 4 | Way Kambas National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 5 | Khao Sok National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 6 | Sepilok | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 7 | Gunung Leuser National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 8 | Kerinci Seblat National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 9 | Kinabalu Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 10 | Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇲🇾 Malaysia |
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Hairy-backed Bulbul sighting in Danum Valley Conservation Area on a given day, based on 615 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 23rd most-seen of the 258 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September
In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Hairy-backed Bulbul in Danum Valley Conservation Area on a given day, against about 20% in February, April–May and December, the lowest months.
Between 2 and 5 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Hairy-backed Bulbul sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Among the best
Of the 10 parks where we can rate Hairy-backed Bulbul sightings, Danum Valley Conservation Area ranks 2nd at about 40%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Khao Luang National Park (Thailand, about 40%).
Same family: Pycnonotidae
The closest relatives of the Hairy-backed Bulbul that you can see in Danum Valley Conservation Area (family Pycnonotidae, Bulbuls) are Spectacled Bulbul (about 50%), Red-eyed Bulbul (about 40%) and Yellow-bellied Bulbul (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Hairy-backed Bulbul is recorded against all the birds logged in Danum Valley Conservation Area (615 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
