The Red-Whiskered Bulbul is in the family Pycnonotidae, and its Latin name is Pycnonotus jocosus. It has a slim body, short neck, sharp beak curved at the tip, and short hair above and below the beak. Both sexes have the same body colouring which is brownish in the upperparts, with white cheeks and breast.

The bird is eye-catching because of its tall, black crest and the thick black stripe running from its beak to its neckline. This earned it its name Nok Parod Hua Khon or the bulbul with a khon mask. The shape of the crest resembles the mask used by performers of khon, a Thai classical dance.

Some call it Nok Parod Hua Khon Krau Daeng meaning the bulbul with khon mask and red beard. A small red spot below the eye explains where "red whiskered" comes from. And the red colour under the tail has led some people to call it the bulbul with khon mask and red bottom!The common breeding ground of the Red-Whiskered Bulbul is across South and Southeast Asia from India, Bangladesh, Burma and Thailand to Indochina. This gregarious bird can be found across Thailand. They are found in open country, scrub forest and cultivated plains to at least 1,800 metres, and they feed on fruit.

This bulbul is found in groups or at least as a pair. It also eats insects and helps protect crops against infestations.

Nests are flimsy, shallow, and cup-shaped made of grass and leaves. They are usually found in bushes or low trees, one metre from the ground. The female lays up to three eggs during the spring and summer months. Each egg is 2.5 centimetres long, brown with purplish spots.

Both sexes take turns to sit on the eggs, which take about two weeks to hatch. When the chicks are born they have no feathers and their eyes are closed. The adults feed the chicks with worms and insects, until they are strong enough to leave the nest.