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Overview
Sjöstedt's greenbul

Sjöstedt's greenbul

Wikipedia

Sjöstedt's greenbul is a species of songbird in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is found in western and central Africa.

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Distribution

Region

West and Central Africa

Typical Environment

Occurs in humid lowland and foothill forests, favoring mature evergreen rainforest, riverine gallery woodland, and well-developed secondary growth. It frequents forest edges, clearings with tall trees, and old fallows, but is less common in highly degraded scrub. Typically forages from the lower canopy to midstory, occasionally descending to dense understory tangles. Presence is closely tied to continuous forest cover and tall trees for foraging and nesting.

Altitude Range

Sea level to 1500 m

Climate Zone

Tropical

Characteristics

Size16–18 cm
Wing Span24–28 cm
Male Weight0.032 kg
Female Weight0.03 kg
Life Expectancy5 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

Named for the Swedish naturalist Bror Yngve Sjöstedt, this greenbul is best detected by its loud, ringing calls that carry through dense forest. It often travels with mixed-species flocks in the canopy and midstory, where its rather plain plumage makes voice the key to identification. Like many bulbuls, it adapts to selectively logged and secondary forests, provided sufficient cover remains.

Behaviour

Temperament

secretive but active

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats

Social Behavior

Often joins small parties and mixed-species flocks, moving methodically through the midstory and canopy. Breeding pairs are monogamous and build neat cup-shaped nests placed in foliage or vine tangles. Both parents typically participate in rearing the young.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Voice is a loud, ringing series of clear, whistled notes and phrases, often delivered in bursts from concealed perches. Calls carry far and are used to maintain contact within loose groups.

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