Excitation functions for 209 Bi (α, 3n), 209 Bi (α, 4n) and 209 Bi (α, 5n) reactions have been measured in the energy range threshold to ≈50 MeV using stacked foil technique. Excitation functions have also been theoretically calculated and as expected, inclusion of pre-equilibrium contribution based on exciton model calculations along with compound nucleus calculations using Hauser–Feshbach formalism reproduces well the measured excitation functions. Interesting trend in the ratio of pre-equilibrium to equilibrium component with projectile energy has been observed.