A dull bulbul: plain brown all over. Adult’s eyes can be bone white or blood red depending on region; red-eyed form of Cream-vented can be confusingly similar to Red-eyed Bulbul, but the latter has a buffy-brown (not pale cream-colored) vent. Juvenile has pale brownish eyes. Unlike Streak-eared and Olive-winged bulbuls, Cream-vented lacks streaked ear coverts. Song is high-pitched, somewhat halting, and liquidly squeaky: “krr-bick-krr-kih-bick!”