The hairy-backed bulbul is a small (16–17 cm long, weigh 12–21 g), relatively quiet bulbul with a slightly rounded tail and strong
rictal bristles. It is olive above and yellowish below, with key features including pale yellowish lores and a broad
eye ring, a dark rufescent olive-brown cap and neck, olive-rufous uppertail-coverts and upperwings, a bright rufous-brown tail with creamy white tips, a creamy white chin and throat merging into a yellow breast, and hair-like
filoplumes on the back (often concealed). It has small, weak legs and feet, a dark brown iris, a light blue-grey bill, and pale greenish-brown legs. Sexes are similar, with females slightly smaller. Juveniles have a grey-brown iris and pale fleshy pink legs. The subspecies
sericeus is larger than the nominate form, with duller yellow undertail-coverts; and
viridis is similar, but brighter on the upperparts. ==References==