Nicobar Bulbul Hypsipetes nicobariensis Scientific name definitions

The Nicobar Bulbul is endemic to seven islands belonging to the central Nicobar Islands of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago in India. It is a forest-dwelling species, preferring undisturbed primary forests, but also frequents edges, plantations, and orchards. Its current taxonomic position places it as part of the widespread and diverse genus Hypsipetes, however, this systematic position needs to be confirmed with molecular genetic studies. It usually occurs in pairs or in smaller groups of three to five individuals, although in some cases, it has been observed to congregate in hundreds on large fruiting trees. In comparison to other bulbuls, the Nicobar Bulbul has a melodic song in which the first few notes consist of thrush-like whistles, followed by harsh variable chattering notes, similar to that of the Black Bulbul (Hypsipetes leucocephalus). It is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List, however, no systematic study documenting the status and trends of its populations has been conducted. There is an urgent need to study the populations of this species and to understand other aspects of its biology.