Microtarsus


Microtarsus is a genus of passerine birds in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae, that are found in South and Southeast Asia.

Taxonomy

The genus Microtarsus was introduced in 1839 by the English naturalist Thomas Campbell Eyton to accommodate a single species, Microtarsus melanoleucos Eyton, the black-and-white bulbul. This is the type species. The species now placed in this genus were formerly included in the genus Pycnonotus. A molecular phylogenetic study of the bulbul family published in 2017 found that Pycnonotus was polyphyletic. In the revision to create monophyletic genera Microtarsus was resurrected to contain the black-headed bulbul that was previously placed in Pycnonotus. In 2025 AviList adopted more inclusive genera and merged Brachypodius, Euptilotus and Poliolophus into Microtarsus.
The genus contains seven species:
ImageCommon nameScientific nameDistribution
Puff-backed bulbulMicrotarsus eutilotusMalay Peninsula, Sumatra, Bangka Island, and Borneo
Black-and-white bulbulMicrotarsus melanoleucossouthern Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Siberut Island, and Borneo
Yellow-wattled bulbulMicrotarsus urostictusPhilippines
Grey-headed bulbulMicrotarsus priocephalussouthwestern peninsular India
Black-headed bulbulMicrotarsus melanocephaloseast Bangladesh and northeast India through south China, Vietnam, Borneo, Java and Bali
Andaman bulbulMicrotarsus fuscoflavescensAndaman Islands
Blue-wattled bulbulMicrotarsus nieuwenhuisiiSumatra and Borneo