The golden greenbul (Calyptocichla serinus) is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds found in western and central Africa. It is the only member of the genus Calyptocichla.

Golden greenbul
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Infraorder: Passerides
Family: Pycnonotidae
Genus: Calyptocichla
Oberholser, 1905
Species:
C. serinus
Binomial name
Calyptocichla serinus
Synonyms

(Genus)

  • Trichites

(Species)

  • Calyptocichla serina
  • Criniger serinus

Taxonomy and systematics

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The golden greenbul was originally described in the genus Criniger. It is not closely related to any of the other greenbul species, forming a separate clade from the two main clades which make up the bulbul family Pycnonotidae.[2] Alternate names for the golden greenbul include the serene bulbul and serene greenbul.

 
Same museum specimen as top right, now belly up, Naturalis

Description

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The golden greenbul is brightly coloured for a greenbul due to its bright yellow belly and white throat; otherwise it is not particularly distinct in plumage, with unmarked olive upperparts, tail and wings. It has a long slender pinkish-brown bill, a feature not shared by other greenbuls.[3]

Distribution and habitat

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The species is found in forests from Sierra Leone to Ghana; south-eastern Nigeria and western Cameroon to Central African Republic and extreme north-western Angola.[4]

References

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  1. ^ BirdLife International (2018). "Calyptocichla serinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22712833A131966769. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22712833A131966769.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ Moyle, Robert G. Ben D. Marks (2006) Phylogenetic relationships of the bulbuls (Aves: Pycnonotidae) based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence data. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 40 (3): Pages 687-695 doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2006.04.015 (HTML abstract)
  3. ^ Sinclair, Ian and Peter Ryan (2003) Birds of Africa South of the Sahara ISBN 1-86872-857-9
  4. ^ "Bulbuls « IOC World Bird List". www.worldbirdnames.org. Retrieved 2017-04-11.