Pycnonotus montis
In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%
The Bornean bulbul (Rubigula montis) is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is endemic to the island of Borneo. The Bornean bulbul was previously placed in genus Pycnonotus. This genus was found to be polyphyletic in recent molecular phylogenetic studies and five bulbul species, including the Bornean bulbul, moved to Rubigula.
Until 2008, the Bornean bulbul was considered as conspecific with the black-capped, black-crested, ruby-throated and flame-throated bulbuls. Some authorities have considered the Bornean bulbul to be a subspecies of the black-capped bulbul.
The Bornean bulbul has a black crest, yellow throat, and brownish eyes. This is a bird of forest and dense scrub. It builds its nest in a bush; two to four eggs are a typical clutch. The Bornean bulbul feeds on fruit and insects.
Rasmussen, P.C., and J.C. Anderton. (2005). Birds of South Asia. The Ripley Guide. Volume 2: Attributes and Status. Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Edicions, Washington D.C. and Barcelona. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kinabalu Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Bornean Bulbul sighting in Kinabalu Park on a given day, based on 35 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 157th most-seen of the 247 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Bornean Bulbul in Kinabalu Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Bornean 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.
Only Kinabalu Park, in our data
Kinabalu Park is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Bornean Bulbul sightings: under 5% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Same genus: Pycnonotus
The closest relatives of the Bornean Bulbul that you can see in Kinabalu Park (genus Pycnonotus, Typical Bulbuls) are Flavescent Bulbul (about 20%), Yellow-vented Bulbul (about 20%) and Red-eyed Bulbul (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Bornean Bulbul is recorded against all the birds logged in Kinabalu Park (35 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.
