Lost and poorly known birds: targets for birders
in Asia: 3
PHILIPPINES
Luzon or Brown-banded Rail Rallus mirificus
Data Deficient. This species is known from Luzon and Samar in the Philippines,
to which it might be endemic, although breeding there has not been confirmed.
The majority of records derive from the migration funnel and bird-catching
site of Dalton Pass on Luzon, where over 200 were recorded between 1965 and
1970, suggesting that the species may persist in reasonable numbers, and that
it is migratory. Although breeding and nonbreeding areas are uncertain, these
records infer movements either between the Cagayan valley and Luzon's central
plain, or between the Cordillera Central and the Sierra Madre mountains; if
the former is true, the records from southern Luzon and Samar may relate to
overshooting migrants. In January 2001, an individual was observed in degraded
cloud-forest at 2, 240 m on Mount Data, 46 "Lost" and poorly known
birds: top targets for birders in Asia Luzon. The bird was heard to call (a
frog-like accelerating series of clicking notes), and the same call was heard
in cloud-forest at 1, 100 m on Mayon Volcano in southern Luzon (Dinets 2001).
Although it has been speculated that it has strict habitat requirements, if
these are similar to its congener (and possibly conspecific) Lewin's Rail L.
pectoralis (of Australasia and eastern Indonesia), it may prove to
be rather cosmopolitan in its preferences, as implied by the few documented
details: cloud-forest, near pine forest, and in a small undisturbed riverside
swamp, from 550–2,250 m. Surveys to improve our knowledge of this bird,
in particular its distribution and habitat requirements, are needed.
Sulu Bleeding-heart Gallicolumba menagei
Critically Endangered. This species is endemic to the Sulu archipelago in the
Philippines. It is known by just two specimens taken on Tawi-tawi in 1891,
when it was described as extremely rare. It is likely to have declined since,
owing to extensive logging and habitat destruction, compounded by hunting and
trapping. The only evidence of its continued existence derives from unconfirmed
local reports in 1995 from Tawi-tawi and the nearby islands of Siasi, Tandubatu,
Dundangan, Baliungan and Simunul. These claim that the species was quite abundant
before the 1970s, but had declined dramatically and is now only rarely seen.
Despite apparently being well-forested, Tandubatu, Dundangan and Baliungan
have a total area of 17 km2, and are thought unlikely to support viable populations.
Searches carried out on Tawi-tawi in 1995–1999 were unsuccessful (Allen
1998b,1999), but further fieldwork is needed, in particular in the central
massif (where it could have been missed) and in the north-east around Languyan,
which has yet to be searched (D. Allen in litt. 2005).
Negros Fruit Dove Ptilinopus arcanus
Critically Endangered. This species is endemic to the Philippines, where it
is known only by a single female specimen collected on Mount Canlaon on the
island of Negros in 1953. No subsequent fieldworkers on the island have encountered
the species, and it may have declined owing to a combination of hunting and
extensive habitat destruction (the type-specimen was taken at 1,090–1,120
m, but this may have been at the upper limit of the species). There was an
unconfirmed report in 2002 by a local guide at Canaway Forest, inland from
Siaton in southern Negros (R. Hutchinson, A. Adcock and S. Woods in litt. 2003).
Further searches on Negros, concentrating initially on Mount Canlaon, are needed.
In addition, the recent discovery on Panay of threatened species which were
previously thought to be restricted to Negros (e.g. Negros Bleeding-heart Gallicolumba
keayi and White-throated Jungle Flycatcher Rhinomyias albigularis),
suggests that searches on Panay would also be very worthwhile, especially in
the lowest-lying dipterocarp forest.
Worcester's or Luzon Buttonquail Turnix worcesteri
Data Deficient. This species is known from just six localities on the island
of Luzon in the Philippines. Virtually all records have derived from birdcatchers
and are assumed to be intra-island migrants. The limited available evidence
suggests that it breeds somewhere in northern Luzon in April–June and
that at least some birds disperse southwards in the period July–March.
Thus its true range and habitat remain obscure. It appears to be rare, and
may be confined to grasslands in the highlands of the Cordillera Central, although
records are from 150–1, 250 m, and the possibility that it frequents forested
(non-grassland) habitats cannot be discounted. However, buttonquails are a
notoriously cryptic and unobtrusive family of birds, and the species could
conceivably occur in reasonable numbers somewhere.
Whitehead's Swiftlet Collocalia whiteheadi
Data Deficient. This species is endemic to the Philippines, where it is known
from only four mountains, one on Luzon (nominate whiteheadi) and three on Mindanao
(race origenis). On Luzon, it was collected on Mt Data in 1895, but has not
been recorded there subsequently. On Mindanao, it is known from Mt Apo in 1904
and Mts Kitanglad and Matutum in the 1990s, with specimens taken recently at
an unnamed locality in South Cotabato (the same province as Mt Matutum). Its
numbers are entirely unknown, partly due to its apparent preference for relatively
inaccessible areas and partly due to identification difficulties, even with
birds in the hand. Observers should look for the pale-frosted lores, largeheaded
appearance and deeply forked tail (Chantler 2000).
Miniature Tit Babbler Micromacronus leytensis
Data Deficient. This species is endemic to the Philippines, where it is known
from c. 10 widely spread localities on the islands of Mindanao, Samar, Leyte
and possibly Biliran. It appears to be a rare inhabitant of forest and forest
edge, from 500 to 1, 670 m (generally above 1,000 m). However, it is tiny -
one of the world's smallest passerines - and unobtrusive, and it may prove
more common and widespread than current evi- dence suggests, particularly once
its behaviour and habitat requirements are better understood, and its vocalisations
have been recorded. In addition, parts of Mindanao have insurgency problems,
prohibiting surveys, and little recent fieldwork has been carried across much
of its range, particularly on Samar and Leyte. Surveys in safe areas (birders
can check with the Haribon Foundation for advice on these) are needed here
and throughout the range to clarify its status, ecological requirements and
possible threats.
Afterword
We hope that this article will stimulate birders to seek out these species,
and that such searches will contribute to the conservation of some of the region's
most enigmatic birds. Readers should note that various sources of funding are
available to support these activities, e.g. OBC's Conservation Fund, the Royal
Society for the Protection of Birds and British Birdwatching Fair research
fund for threatened species (contact paul.donald@rspb.org.uk),
the British Ornithologists' Union's ornithological research grants (see www.bou.org.uk),
the Club 300 Foundation for Bird Protection (email birdprotection@club300.se),
and the BP Conservation Programme (see conservation.bp.com)
to name the most obvious.
BirdLife International is responsible for collating information and assessing
the status of all the world's birds for the IUCN Red List. We would be pleased
to hear of the results of any searches for these or any other threatened species
(please email the senior author at the address below). Negative information
is also useful, but we are certain that at least some of these species will
be successfully rediscovered in the next few years. We eagerly await such news.
Acknowledgements
We thank the thousands of birdwatchers and ornithologists who contributed information
to Threatened birds of Asia and Threatened birds of the world 2004 and who
are acknowledged fully in those publications. Thanks also to Des Allen, Jonathan
Eames, Pam Rasmussen, Rudyanto and Jim Wardill for responding to queries and
providing useful information.
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