Whilst birding Dhahran I came across a
White-eared Bulbul with a very large grub in its beak. It was in the trees at
the edge of the golf course, but would not come out fully into the open. White-eared
Bulbul is a very common species in Dhahran with the birds appearing to be of
the subspecies mesopotamia found in
Iraq and Kuwait as they have very yellow eye rings and a bigger white ear
patch. The subspecies that occurs elsewhere in Saudi Arabia including Riyadh,
Tabuk, Wadi Dawasir, Sakaka and other areas in central and central western
Saudi Arabia appear to be the Indian subspecies leucotis as birds are believed
to have been introduced in these places. The species is widespread through much
of the country although does not occur in the southwest around Jizan where the
similar White-spectacled Bulbul is common. They are mainly a common resident
breeding species where they occur.
