The Light-vented, or Chinese, bulbul is one of our most common birds here in Songshan Lake. The scientific name is Pycnonotus sinensis. They are one of three types of bulbuls found here. They are a beautiful bird, with a striking black and white head, yellow-green streaks on their olive green-gray tails, wings and backs, and a creamy white belly, with a slightly darker colored breast. The yellow coloring is brighter during mating season.
They like lightly-wooded areas and parks or gardens with plentiful trees. They eat fruit and insects, so, of course anywhere with fruit trees would be a favorite. They are also called the "old-man bulbul", because of the white band or hindcrown on their head, which supposedly gets whiter as the bird gets older. In Chinese art, they even represent old age. A couple of Chinese Bulbuls, placed among peonies or other favorable surroundings, wishes an elderly married couple long, successful lives.The scientific name is Pycnonotus sinensis (sinensis)