Tablas Fantail
Rhipidura sauli
A medium-sized, long-tailed bird of lowland forest on Tablas. Dull blue on the head, chest, back, and shoulder with some paler blue streaking on the chest and crown. Has a buff belly, a rufous lower back, rump, outer tail feathers, and wing, and a dark wing edge and dark central tail feathers. Tail often held cocked and fanned while foraging. Similar to Black-naped Monarch, but Tablas Fantail has a rufous rump and tail. Voice includes single nasal “jep” notes given at intervals or speeded up into a rapid series.
Identification
EBird describes the bird as "A medium-sized, long-tailed bird of lowland forest on Tablas. Dull blue on the head, chest, back, and shoulder with some paler blue streaking on the chest and crown. Has a buff belly, a rufous lower back, rump, outer tail feathers, and wing, and a dark wing edge and dark central tail feathers. Tail often held cocked and fanned while foraging. Similar to black-naped monarch, but Tablas fantail has a rufous rump and tail. Voice includes single nasal 'jep' notes given at intervals or speeded up into a rapid series." <p>It is differentiated from the blue-headed fantail and Visayan fantail with its darker brown belly.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Rhipidura sauli
- Authority
- Bourns & Worcester, 1894
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Rhipiduridae
- Genus
- Rhipidura
Range and habitat
The species inhabits tropical moist lowland primary forest in areas with mature closed-canopy forest. It is believed to be less tolerant to habitat disturbances compared to close relatives the Blue-headed fantail and Visayan fantail.<p>The IUCN Red List classifies this bird as vulnerable with population estimates of 2,500 to 9,999 mature individuals. This species' main threat is habitat loss with wholesale clearance of forest habitats as a result of legal and illegal logging, and conversion into farmlands through Slash-and-burn and other methods.The species does not occur at high density even within the little remaining forest cover on Tablas:<p>Mt Palaupau serves as a watershed for Tablas Island.<p>There are no species specific conservation programs going on at the moment but conservation actions proposed include more species surveys to better understand habitat and population. initiate education and awareness campaigns to raise the species's profile and instill pride in locals. Lobby for protection of remaining forest and assess feasibility of reforestation projects,
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Principe Seedeater
Crithagra rufobrunnea
An incredibly dowdy small seedeater with a pink-horn bill and a pale throat. On São Tomé its color is gray-brown and on Príncipe more buffy-cinnamon. On São Tomé it is a common resident in most habitats from primary forest to suburban gardens up to 1500 meters of elevation; on Príncipe it is uncommon and more restricted to forest. Song is variable, but mostly a strident, rapidly delivered series of high-pitched notes “tseet-teet-teet-teet-tseeu-tseeu-tseeu” or similar; call is a slurred “tshweet.” The much larger Sao Tome Grosbeak is chestnut in color and rare in remote forest on São Tomé; Yellow-fronted Canary is much brighter.
Banded Bay Cuckoo
Cacomantis sonneratii
Slender brown cuckoo with extensive fine barring and pale face and underparts. Found in lowland and foothill forests, where, like many cuckoos, it can often be inconspicuous in dense foliage. Listen for its two distinct songs, a high rising “smoke-yer-pep-per!” and a series of rising whistles.
Rain Quail
Coturnix coromandelica
Streaky, small football-shaped bird, most often seen in flight as it flushes from almost underfoot. Male unmistakable, with natty black-and-white face pattern and triangular black splotch on the chest that resembles spilled paint. Female very similar to Common and Japanese Quails, distinguished by range and by proximity to a male. Inhabits grassy, open areas such as farmland, meadows, and grasslands. Disperses after breeding, occasionally to higher elevations. Male’s song is an odd, songbird-like pair of repeated high squeaks.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.