Hypsipetes

Most Hypsipetes bulbuls are dark greyish birds with orange or red bills and feet. The feathers on top of the head are slightly elongated and usually black, and can be erected to form a short and wispy crest.

Taxonomy and systematics

The genus Hypsipetes was introduced in 1831 by the Irish zoologist Nicholas Aylward Vigors with Hypsipetes psaroides as the type species. This taxon is now a subspecies of the black bulbul Hypsipetes leucocephalus psaroides. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek hupsi meaning "high" with petēs meaning "-flyer".

Species

The genus contains the following 26 extant species, as well as 1 extinct species:

Former species

Some authorities, either presently or formerly, recognize several additional species as belonging to the genus Hypsipetes including:

• Eastern bearded greenbul (as Hypsipetes malaccensis)
• Yellow-browed bulbul (as Hypsipetes indica or Hypsipetes indicus)
• Hairy-backed bulbul (as Hypsipetes criniger)
• Olive bulbul (as Hypsipetes virescens or Hypsipetes viridescens)
• Grey-eyed bulbul (as Hypsipetes propinquus)
• Buff-vented bulbul (as Hypsipetes olivacea)
• Sulphur-bellied bulbul (as Hypsipetes palawanensis)
• Nicobar bulbul (as Hypsipetes nicobariensis, Hypsipetes virescens, or Ixocincla virescens)
• Mountain bulbul (as Hypsipetes mcclellandi or Hypsipetes mcclellandii) was often included in Hypsipetes due to an error that was promoted in modern times by the Sibley taxonomy
• Mountain bulbul (tickelli) (as Hypsipetes tickelli) was often included in Hypsipetes due to an error that was promoted in modern times by the Sibley taxonomy
• Mountain bulbul (holtii) (as Hypsipetes holtii) was often included in Hypsipetes due to an error that was promoted in modern times by the Sibley taxonomy
• Streaked bulbul (as Hypsipetes malaccensis)
• Sunda bulbul (as Hypsipetes virescens) was often included in Hypsipetes due to an error that was promoted in modern times by the Sibley taxonomy
• Seram golden bulbul (as Hypsipetes affinis)
• Ashy bulbul (as Hypsipetes flavalus)
• Chestnut bulbul (as Hypsipetes castanonotus)
• White-headed bulbul (as Hypsipetes thompsoni)