Red-tailed greenbul

The red-tailed greenbul, also known as the red-tailed bulbul, is an enchanting bird belonging to the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. This species inhabits the lush subtropical or tropical dry forests and moist lowland forests of western and central Africa. It is sometimes referred to by other names, such as the red-tailed bearded bulbul or the thick-billed red-tailed greenbul.

Regarding its taxonomy, the red-tailed greenbul is classified into three recognized subspecies:

1. Gold Coast red-tailed bulbul (C. c. verreauxi): Initially believed to be a distinct species, this subspecies is also known as the Sierra Leone red-tailed bulbul. It ranges from Senegal to southwestern Nigeria.

2. C. c. calurus: This subspecies is found from southern Nigeria extending to the western regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

3. C. c. emini: This subspecies is observed from northeastern Angola and the western Democratic Republic of Congo reaching as far as Uganda and western Tanzania.

Interestingly, what is currently recognized as the white-bearded greenbul was once considered a subspecies of the red-tailed greenbul.