Swallows, Bulbuls and Others

Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae), Bulbuls (Pycnonotidae), Long-tailed Tits (Aegithalidae) Leaf-Warblers (Phylloscopidae) are part of Sylvioidea placed in Passeriformes order, see Taxonomy note at the end of this page. These are small to medium-sized birds. The swallows and others inhabit a wide range of habitat including woods, grassy areas, scrubland, and wetlands, while the bulbuls prefer forest, woodlands, and scrub areas.

Swallows, Martins, Bulbuls, Long-tailed Tits and Leaf-warblers

Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena) perched on a treetop at Bool Lagoon in South Australia

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) perched on a wire at Turut Track near Kranji Marshes in Singapore

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) immature perched on a wire at Turut Track near Kranji Marshes in Singapore

Blue-and-white Swallow (Pygochelidon cyanoleuca) immature perched on a wire at La Vaga Estate in Trinidad

Blue-and-white Swallow (Pygochelidon cyanoleuca) perched on a wire at La Vaga Estate in Trinidad

Pacific Swallow (Hirundo tahitica) perched on a fence at Singapore Botanic Garden

Sand Martin (Riparia riparia) flying over The Meadow at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore

Eastern Crowned Warbler (Phylloscopus coronatus) perched at Kranji Marshes in Singapore

Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus rosaceus) perched in a Yateley Garden, Hampshire

Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus rosaceus) juvenile perched near Colebrook Lake in Berkshire

Swallows, Martins, Bulbuls, Long-tailed Tits and Leaf-warblers Notes

All featured species are ‘Red List 2019’ assessed as ‘Least Concern’. Swallows and martins are cosmopolitan birds that I’ve photographed in Trinidad, Singapore, and Australasia. As they are aerial feeders, they often perch to look for prey, rest, and groom. The featured leaf-warbler feeds on insects and spiders while the long-tailed tit feeds on invertebrate and occasionally seeds.

I’ve identified the flying swallow image as a sand martin, which is a rare migrant visitor to Singapore. The bird was one of a small flock. I’m not sure whether sand martins have white tail-patches. The only species I found with white patches is the Crag Martin albeit they are much longer and if it were this species, it would be well outside its normal range.

Bulbuls

Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus) female at La Gaulette in Mauritius

Yellow-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier analis) at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in Singapore

Stripe-throated Bulbul (Pycnonotus finlaysoni) at Taman Negara National Park in Malaysia

Seychelles Bulbul (Hypsipetes crassirostris) at Botanical Gardens on Mahe Island in Seychelles

Straw-headed Bulbul (Pycnonotus zeylanicus) at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve in Singapore

[Asian] Red-eyed Bulbul (Pycnonotus brunneus) at Bukit Batok Nature Park in Singapore

Olive-winged Bulbul (Pycnonotus plumosus) perched at Dairy Farm Nature Park in Singapore

Hairy-backed Bulbul (Tricholestes criniger) perched in Taman Negara National Park in Malaysia

Bulbul Notes

Except for the ‘Critically Endangered’ straw-headed bulbul, all other featured species are ‘Red List 2019’ assessed as ‘Least Concern’. The only endemic is the Seychelles bulbul. I photographed the other Asian clade bulbul images in Malaysia and Singapore.

Swallows, Martins, Bulbuls, Long-tailed Tits and Leaf-warblers Taxonomy

The figure shows a simplified taxonomy family tree relevant to the Swallows, Martins, Bulbuls, Long-tailed Tits and Leaf-warblers photo album.

J Boyd’s Taxonomy in Flux Checklist places these families in Sylvioidea, which comprises:
(a) Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae),
(b) Bulbuls (Pycnonotidae),
(c) Long-tailed Tits (Aegithalidae),
(d) and Leaf-warblers (Phylloscopidae).

Sylvioidea includes Leaf-warblers (Phylloscopidae) split from Sylviidae together with many existing families in the Sibley and Monroe and other authorities’ checklists.