Nest site selection and Nesting ecology of White-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus leucotis) in Barmer district, Rajasthan

Abstract

The study examined nest site selection and nesting ecology of White-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus leucotis) in Barmer district of Rajasthan from February 2022 to September 2024. The entire nesting season of White-eared Bulbul was from March to September, with peak nesting activity observed from April to June. White-eared bulbul breeds and constructs nests in various areas, including urban, rural, uncultivated land areas, scared pasture land and inhabits the forest and agricultural landscape of Barmer district. Nest height of White-eared Bulbul ranges from 1.5 to 4 m above ground level.  Ziziphus mauritiana, Salvadora oleoides and Acacia senegal were found most preferably choice of White-eared Bulbul for the construct of nest. Traditional thorn fencing has also been utilized for nest site selection and nest construction. White-eared Bulbul construct deep cup-shaped nests, nest height range between 4.8 to 8 cm, depth ranges between 2.6 to 5.6 cm, diameter ranges between 4.5 to 9.5 cm and nest weight ranges between 5.1 to 40 grams. The height, depth, diameter and weight of White-eared Bulbul nests vary from nest to nest, and usually depend on the utilization of nesting materials as well as the presence of nesting material around the nesting habitat. The external structure of nests is constructed with small, medium and larger-sized slender twigs and midribs of different plants, the middle structure usually contains fine stem fragments and stem fibers of different herbs and shrubs and the inner layer contains inflorescence and fine stem sections and stem fibers of various plant species, including Leptadenia pyrotechnica and Cynodon dactylon fibers. Cotton and spider webs were found in the innermost layer of the nests. In urban areas, nests of White-eared Bulbul contained human-derived waste materials such as plastic thread, papers, pieces of cloth and animal hair, including human hair. This study highlights White-eared Bulbul's adaptability in nesting behavior and material selection in natural habitats as well as human-modified environments.