Wattled Broadbill
Sarcophanops steerii
A medium-sized bird of lowland and foothill forest on Mindanao and neighboring islands, with a pale blue bill and eye wattle, a black face, a streaked crown, a dark back with a white-and-yellow wingbar, a white collar, and a reddish rump and tail. Underparts are white in the female and pinkish in the male. Makes short sallies from a perched position to catch insects. Can be found in pairs, small groups, or sometimes mixed-species flocks. Unmistakable. Voice includes a plaintive whistle and a metallic “chink,” plus wing noise and bill clicks.
Taxonomy
They are sexually dimorphic in which the males have reddish-pink bellies with the females having clean white bellies.<p>It is differentiated from the Visayan broadbill with its white collar and bright yellow patch. It is also larger with sizes of 16–18 cm versus the 14–15 cm of the Visayan broadbill.<p>Two subspecies are recognized:
- Scientific name
- Sarcophanops steerii
- Authority
- (Sharpe, 1876)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Eurylaimidae
- Genus
- Sarcophanops
Range and habitat
Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland primary forest and well developed secondary forest up to 750 meters above sea level. It appears to not be able to tolerate great amounts of forest degradation. It is known to forage in the lower levels of the forest in the understory and close to the forest floor.<p>IUCN has assessed this bird as vulnerable with the population being estimated at 2,500 to 9,999. Extensive lowland deforestation on all islands in its range is the main threat. Most remaining lowland forest that is not afforded protection leaving it vulnerable to both legal and Illegal logging, conversion into farmlands through Slash-and-burn and mining.<p>This occurs in a few protected areas such as Mt. Apo, Pasonanca Natural Park and Siargao Island Protected Landscape however protection is lax.<p>Conservation actions proposed include to survey remaining habitat to establish its current distribution, population status and ecology.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Hill Pigeon
Columba rupestris
Very similar in appearance to the wild-type Rock Pigeon, this flocking species inhabits open valleys and gorges also visits towns and cities. More pale-headed than Rock Pigeon, but the key distinguishing trait is a broad white stripe across its dark tail which is visible both in flight and when perched; the wild-type Rock Pigeon has a dark-tipped gray tail with no white. Forages on the ground in large flocks; can be quite tame and accommodating towards human presence.
Red-billed Woodcreeper
Hylexetastes perrotii
Large, stout-billed woodcreeper of tall rainforest in northeastern Amazonia. Plumage entirely rufous-brown with no barring or streaking; note thick reddish bill, white throat, and prominent white whisker mark (bill of young birds is dark brown). Found in tall rainforest as well as slightly lower-stature forests on sandy soils; generally less common than other large woodcreepers. Climbs along tree trunks and large branches at middle and upper levels, probing bark crevices for insects and small vertebrates; occasionally follows army ant swarms to capture animals fleeing up tree trunks. Heard more often than seen. Song, given mainly at dawn, is a far-carrying, hoarse whistle repeated 3–4 times, very unlike other woodcreepers. Amazonian Barred-Woodcreeper, which also has a reddish bill and suggestion of a pale whisker, may occur with Red-billed at ant swarms and be mistaken for it in dim understory light; note Red-billed’s stouter bill and plain face with obvious whisker streak.
Rufous-cheeked Nightjar
Caprimulgus rufigena
Medium-sized, typical nightjar, with a vague rufous collar. Both sexes have pale marks in the outer wings and at the tail corner that are white in males and buff in females. This is a migratory species that is found in a variety of open habitats on migration and during the non-breeding season. Breeds in arid savanna and scrub. Song is a long, dry, fast trill. Most similar to Fiery-necked Nightjar, but paler, with a less bright and distinct rufous collar. Male has more white in the wing and less white in the tail than Fiery-necked Nightjar. Female has smaller buff tail corners than Fiery-necked Nightjar.
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