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

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

Empidonax flaviventris

Small flycatcher, extremely similar to several other species. Generally shy and inconspicuous; breeds in spruce forests often near boggy areas. Migrants tend to be found in denser wet areas within woods. Olive-greenish above with distinctive yellow wash on throat and belly. Black wings with bold white wingbars. Nearly identical to Western Flycatchers, but limited range overlap. Within range, main confusion species is Least Flycatcher. Bright yellow throat and belly is usually enough to identify Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, but some worn birds can be very similar. Song is similar to Least Flycatcher ("chebek") but more slurred, with a soft buzzy tone. Not frequently repeated like Least Flycatcher. Soft whistled call note, "pwee," unlike Least's sharp "whit" call.

Bull-headed Shrike

Bull-headed Shrike

Lanius bucephalus

A small, brightly colored shrike of forest edges and lightly forested fields and gardens. Adult male has pale-bordered black mask, mostly gray back and wings, blackish tail, and warm orange crown, nape, and wash on sides (worn birds less brightly colored). Female has brown back, less obvious mask, rusty crown and nape, and light barring below. Juvenile similar to adult female but lacks pale border around mask. Compared to juvenile Brown Shrike, Bull-headed has warmer orange tones, larger bill, and weaker mask. Song a harsh, raspy collection of notes (including imitations); call is a staccato chatter.

Madagascar Flufftail

Madagascar Flufftail

Sarothrura insularis

Tiny, skulking rail-like bird that is unlikely to be seen unless you’re expressly looking for it. The male is boldly red and black with white stripes, while the female is brownish and much plainer. Found on the ground in forest, scrub, heath, and wetlands in eastern, central, and northern Madagascar. Extremely shy and elusive, and most often detected by voice: a loud and explosive couple of “ki-dit” calls followed by a very long series of shorter “kit” notes. Much shorter-billed than the very rare Slender-billed Flufftail. All other rails are larger and have different coloration.

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