Afghanistan (B), Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China (mainland), Hong Kong (China), India, Laos (B) (P), Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Taiwan (China), Thailand, Vietnam.
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Black Bulbul (Hypsipetes leucocephalus) [XC577902]
by Somkiat Pakapinyo (Chai) from Jiji Township, Taiwan (call)
Black Bulbul (Hypsipetes leucocephalus) [XC426635]
by Peter Boesman from Eagle Nest, Sessni area and lower, Arrunachal Pradesh, India (call)
Subspecies
Previously included within a broad Madagascar Bulbul (Hypsipetes madagascariensis). Usually treated as conspecific with Hypsipetes ganeesa, but marked differences in morphology and vocalizations indicate that the two are better considered separate species.
Proposed subspecies impar (from Langbian massif, in southern Vietnam) treated as a synonym of concolor, but may, in view of its geographical isolation, deserve recognition. Further study is required.
The following 10 subspecies are recognised:
psaroides Vigors, 1831 - Himalayas from north-eastern Afghanistan (Kunar Valley) and northern Pakistan east to north-eastern India (Arunachal Pradesh, also southern Assam hills), southern Tibet and north-western Myanmar; old record(s) in central India.
nigrescens Baker, ECS, 1917 - North-eastern India (eastern Assam and Manipur) and western Myanmar (including Chin Hills and Arakan).
sinensis (La Touche, 1922) - Breeds southern China (north-western Yunnan). Non-breeding Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.
stresemanni (Mayr, 1942) - Breeds southern China (northern Yunnan). Non-breeding Thailand and Laos.
ambiens (Mayr, 1942) - North-eastern Myanmar and southern China (Salween watershed, in western Yunnan).
concolor Blyth, 1849 - Eastern Myanmar, southern China (southern Yunnan) and Indochina.
leucothorax (Mayr, 1942) - Breeds central China (southern Shaanxi, Sichuan, Hubei). Non-breeding west, northern and eastern Myanmar, northern and north-eastern Thailand, northern Vietnam (Tonkin).
leucocephalus (Gmelin, 1789) - Breeds south-eastern China (southern Anhui, Zhejiang and Hunan south to Guangxi and Guangdong). Non-breeding eastern Myanmar and northern Indochina.
nigerrimus Gould, 1863 - Taiwan.
perniger Swinhoe, 1870 - Southern China (Hainan); possibly also northern Vietnam (eastern Tonkin).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet