Habits
Conspicuous and noisy. Usually in small groups.
Food
Mainly fruit but also some insects.
Voice
Song is a rapid series of varied even-pitched notes 'kchit-kchit-phew-phew-phew-phew-phew', the first few notes being harsh and raspy the rest fluty.
Ochraceous Bulbul (Alophoixus ochraceus) [XC290655]
by Peter Boesman from Base of Old road to Fraser's Hill. The Gap, Pahang, Malaysia (call)
Ochraceous Bulbul (Alophoixus ochraceus) [XC820200]
by David Boyle from Maxwell Trail, Fraser's Hill, Malaysia (song)
Subspecies
Individual recently sighted in north-eastern Cambodia was not racially identified, but probably involved hallae. Putative subspecies crinitus (described from south-western Thailand) considered indistinguishable from nominate. Several other proposed subspecies have been synonymized in the past and are barely distinguishable and a thorough review is required.
The following 9 subspecies are recognised:
ochraceus Moore, 1854 - South-western Thailand and southern Myanmar (Tenasserim south of Ye).
cabanisi (A. Müller, 1882) - Southern Thailand and central Peninsular Malaysia.
sacculatus (Robinson, 1915) - Southern Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore.
ruficrissus (Sharpe, 1879) - North-eastern Borneo. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Chestnut-vented Bulbul (Alophoixus ruficrissus).
sordidus (Richmond, 1900) - Malay Peninsula and Mergui Archipelago.
Similar Species
Brown-cheeked Bulbul (Alophoixus bres) which has a less prominent crest, yellower underparts and buffy undertail coverts.
References
See References.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet