CR

Straw-headed Bulbul

Pycnonotus zeylanicus

Declining

Overview

The straw-headed bulbul is a species of songbird in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is found from the Malay Peninsula to Borneo. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical mangrove forest, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, arable land, plantations, and rural gardens. It is threatened by habitat loss and poaching from humans.

The Straw-headed Bulbul faces severe population decline primarily due to intensive trapping for the illegal songbird trade, where its melodious song makes it highly prized in Southeast Asian bird markets. Habitat destruction through deforestation and agricultural conversion has eliminated much of its lowland forest habitat. The species has experienced catastrophic declines across its range, with local extinctions reported in several countries including Thailand and Malaysia.

Threat summary

Habitat

The Straw-headed Bulbul inhabits lowland primary and secondary forests, forest edges, and wooded areas up to 1,200 meters elevation. It prefers dense canopy cover and is often found in riparian forests along rivers and streams.

Forest· majorShrubland· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies managementSpecies recoveryEx-situ conservationLegislationCompliance and enforcement

Other threatened species in PYCNONOTIDAE

Sangihe Golden BulbulCR

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Styan's BulbulVU

Styan's Bulbul

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Hook-billed Bulbul

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Montipora calcarea

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Straw-headed Bulbul classified as Critically Endangered?
Straw-headed Bulbul is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The Straw-headed Bulbul faces severe population decline primarily due to intensive trapping for the illegal songbird trade, where its melodious song makes it highly prized in Southeast Asian bird markets. Habitat destruction through deforestation and agricultural conversion has eliminated much of its lowland forest habitat. The species has experienced catastrophic declines across its range, with local extinctions reported in several countries including Thailand and Malaysia.
Where does Straw-headed Bulbul live?
Straw-headed Bulbul occurs in Brunei, Greece, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Myanmar (Burma) (plus 4 other countries). Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Straw-headed Bulbul?
The main threats to Straw-headed Bulbul are 5.1, 5.1.1, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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