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Straw Headed Bulbul are songbirds with such a melodious sound that they are now highly endangered in Southeast Asia by indiscriminate poaching for the cage-bird trade.
This species of songbird from the bulbul family is also known as the Yellow Crowned Bulbul due to the streak of yellow on their head. The Straw Headed bulbul is the largest of the Southeast Asian bulbul species, with thick white streaks on the breast, a faded orange head, and two prominent black stripes on the face – a thin eye line and a thicker moustache.
They can be difficult to spot as most stay perched high up in the branches, but their powerful songs can be easily heard and enjoyed from near and far.
In Singapore, the Straw Headed Bulbuls thrive in Pulau Ubin and the Western Catchment Area ranging from Bukit Batok to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. An estimated 100-200 Straw Headed bulbuls have a stronghold here, one of the most significant populations of this highly vulnerable songbird.
Vigilance against poaching is critical in ensuring its long-term survival in Singapore. More of the sites where this species live also need to be protected, especially since they are globally threatened.
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