Current view: Data table and detailed info
Taxonomic note
Pycnonotus simplex has been split into Cream-vented Bulbul P. simplex and Cream-eyed Bulbul P. pseudosimplex after Shakya et al. (2019) discovered that white-eyed birds on Borneo hitherto considered variants of red-eyed P. simplex are genetically distinct and more closely related to Ashy-fronted Bulbul P. cinereifrons of Palawan, while Bornean P. simplex are sister to white-eyed P. simplex of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Since they are sympatric with red-eyed birds, white-eyed Bornean birds must constitute a species, P. pseudosimplex.
Apart from the molecular difference the new form differs by its iris colour (score 3), ‘in being yellower on the throat and vent, creating greater contrast with the darker breast and flanks’ (1), and in seemingly small morphometric characters, with a shorter, shallower bill—when data on males (the paper does not discriminate by sex) are compared, P. pseudosimplex has a mean bill depth of 4.06 SD 0.31 (n=7) vs 4.66 SD 0.23 (n=5) resulting in an effect size of ₋2.21 (score 2).
Taxonomic source(s)
Shakya, S. B., Lim, H. C., Moyle, R. G., Rahman, M. A., Lakim, M., & Sheldon, F. H. 2019. A cryptic new species of bulbul from Borneo. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 139(1): 46-55.
IUCN Red list criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Red List history
| Migratory status |
not a migrant |
Forest dependency |
Medium |
| Land mass type |
|
Average mass |
25 g |
Population justification: The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is described as fairly common or very common across much of its range (Fishpool and Tobias 2019).
Trend justification: While the population trend has not been assessed directly, the population is thought to be in decline as a result of rapid ongoing deforestation and habitat loss (del Hoyo et al. 2005). Lowland forest has disappeared at a rapid rate in recent decades throughout much of its range, including Sumatra, Java and Borneo (Hansen et al. 2013, Fishpool and Tobias 2019, Global Forest Watch 2019). This species is particularly at risk as a result of its strong reliance on well-developed forest habitats, although its use of foothill and submontane heath-like habitats help to offset the decreasing trend suspected in P. simplex populations (Fishpool and Tobias 2019).
Country/territory distribution
Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2022) Species factsheet: Pycnonotus simplex. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 29/11/2022.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2022) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 29/11/2022.
