Visayan Rhabdornis

Rhabdornis rabori

A medium-sized bird of foothill and lower montane forest on Negros and Panay with an off-white throat, a white belly, brown upperparts, darker wings and tail, a black mask, a gray crown, and pale brown sides broadly streaked white. Often perches on dead branches. Similar to Stripe-sided Rhabdornis, but usually found at higher elevations, bill is shorter and thicker, and crown is gray rather than dark with white streaks. Voice includes high-pitched chips and squeals.

Identification

EBird describes the bird as "A medium-sized bird of foothill and lower montane forest on Negros and Panay with an off-white throat, a white belly, brown upperparts, darker wings and tail, a black mask, a gray crown, and pale brown sides broadly streaked white. Often perches on dead branches. Similar to Stripe-sided Rhabdornis, but usually found at higher elevations, bill is shorter and thicker, and crown is gray rather than dark with white streaks. Voice includes high-pitched chips and squeals."

Taxonomy

Scientific name
Rhabdornis rabori
Authority
Rand, 1950
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Rhabdornithidae
Genus
Rhabdornis

Range and habitat

It lives in sub-montane and montane primary and secondary forest, forest edge and occasionally in clearings with an altitude range of 800 to 1,700 meters above sea level. It is often seen on the upper levels of the forest strata in the canopy.<p>IUCN Red List has assessed the Visayan rhabdornis as Least Concern, with an estimated population of 2,500 to 9,999 mature individuals. This bird's main threat is extensive habitat loss on Negros and Panay. Primary forests have been almost totally destroyed on Negros (where just 4% of any type of forest cover remained in 1988) and Panay (where 8% remained). Habitat degradation, through clearance for agriculture, timber and charcoal burning, continues to seriously threaten remaining fragments<p>Conservation actions proposed include surveys to determine the species' status in Negros and Panay and increased forest protection.

Migration
Resident species

Conservation

Population trend
stable

Photos

Distribution

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