Pied Bush Chat (Saxicola caprata) • © Oggie Ramos |
Scale Feathered Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus cumingi) • 2020 © Suzette Chees |
A quick summary of the birds are as follows for your easy reference:
Blue Rock Thrush
Monticola solitarius
Size/weight: 21-23cm, around 54g
Conservation status: Least concern (Population stable)
Trivia: Official bird of Malta
Features: M. s. philippensis has rufous-chestnut plumage mid-breast to undertail
Habits: Breeds in mountainous areas; nests in rock cavities and walls
Diet: Insects, small reptiles, berries, seeds
Brown Shrike
Lanius cristatus
Conservation status: Least concern (Population decreasing)
Trivia: Also known as butcher bird as it impales prey insects on sticks/branches/thorns; common English name is scric (meaning shriek) to refer to its shrill call; Philippine shrike commonly called tarat or pakis-kis
Features: Mainly brown on upper part with rounded tail with distinctive "bandit-mask"
Habits: Migratory, overwinters in Asia
Diet: Insects, small birds, lizards
Chestnut Faced Babbler
Zosterornis whiteheadi
Size/weight: Male around 15 cm in length, around 17-28 g
Conservation status: Least concern (Population stable)
Trivia: Endemic to Luzon
Features: Chestnut face, grey crown and nape, incomplete white eye ring
Habits: Inhabits lower growth of forest, occasionally up to the canopy
Diet: Seeds, fruits, insects (beetles mainly), spiders
Crested Myna
Acridotheres cristatellus
Size/weight: Around 110 g
Conservation status: Least concern (Population stable)
Trivia: Also known as Chinese starling; popular caged bird/pet taught to mimic human voice with a wide array of vocalizations from warbles to whistles and chortles
Features: Tuft of feathers form crest on forehead; mostly black with a slight green sheen; tail feathers have white tips; adult eyes are orange, bill is pale yellow, legs dull dark yellow
Habits: Found in open spaces near urban and agricultural areas
Diet: Omnivorous, will eat worms, grubs, grains, fruit, even garbage; highly beneficial to farmers as it feeds on insects and does not attack crops
Eastern Grass Owl
Tyto longimembris
Size/weight: Medium-sized owl, male 32-38cm in length; 400-460g (females heavier)
Conservation status: Least concern due to wide distribution
Features: Dark brown upper parts with pale spots; black and tan bars on pale beak, feathered legs, dark brown eyes; heart-shaped facial disk with brown buff and white border
Habits: Prefers tall grasslands and swamps; roosts in flattened vegetation
Diet: Common prey is long-haired and cane rat
Elegant Tit
Periparus elegans
Conservation status: Least concern due to wide distribution
Features: Resembles the Palawan tit with a black head and neck, yellow belly and breast; wings are pied black and white; male back is black, female's is olive
Note: Endemic to the Philippines
Habitat: Subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, montane forest
Diet: Common prey is long-haired and cane rat
Island Thrush
Turdus poliocephalus
Conservation status: Least concern
Features: Resembles blackbirds with yellow eye bill, eye-rings and legs
Habitat: On larger islands, found only at high altitudes
Diet: Invertebrates like beetles, spiders, earthworms, snails, carrion, small reptiles; also fruits and seeds; forages the leaf litter and canopy
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinerea
Conservation status: Least concern (population stable)
Size: 18-19cm in length
Features: Narrow white supercilium and a broken eye ring; grey upperparts and yellow vent; male has a black throat edged by white moustachial sripes
Habitat: May use man-made structures to breed; associated with running water when breeding
Notes: Wags tail (hence the name wagtail); sharp call often given when in flight
Diet: Invertebrates (adult flies, mayflies, beetles, crustaceans, molluscs)
Little Pied Flycatcher
Ficedula westermanni
Conservation status: Least concern (population decreasing)
Size: 10-11cm in length, 7-8g
Features: Distinctively black and white (female mainly grey-brown)
Habitat: Subtropical and tropical moist lowland forest/montane forest; deciduous and evergreen forests
Diet: Small invertebrates, larvae
Long-tailed Shrike
Lanius schach
Size: 20-25cm in length, 50-53g
Note: When perched on bush, glides down at an angle to take prey; capable of vocal mimicry; also known as butcher bird because it impales prey on thorn or branch
Call: Loud scha-scha-scha-schi-schi..."
Features: Dark mask through eye is broad, tail is narrow with rufous feathers
Diet: Small invertebrates such as lizards, large insects, rodents, small birds, small snakes, fish
Mountain White Eye
Zosterops montanus
Size: 5-12cm in length, 4-12g
Status: Least concern/not globally threatened
Call: Peet-peet followed by light trill
Features: Nominate race has yellow forehead and supraloral region
Habitat: Primary montane forest, mossy forests, ericacaceous shrubs, edge of forests, secondary growth
Diet: Small insects, fruits
Mountain Shrike
Lanius validirostris
Size: 20-22.5cm in length, 34-44g
Note: Endemic to the Philippines
Conservation status: Least concern/increasingly becoming rare due to habitat loss
Features: Black cap, long tail, strong and heavy bill
Habitat: Subtropical and tropical moist lowland forest/montane forest; deciduous and evergreen forests
Diet: Small invertebrates, insects
Mountain Verditer Flycatcher
Eumyias thalassinus
Size: 15-17cm in length, 15-20g
Note: Also called turquoise flycatcher
Conservation status: Least concern (Population decreasing)
Features: Medium sized flycatcher; slim with a long tail
Habitat: Subtropical and tropical moist lowland forest/montane forest
Diet: Small invertebrates, insects (bees, et al)
Scale Feathered Malkoha
Phaenicophaeus cumingi
Size: 40-42cm in length, 148-204g (females heavier than male)
Note: Belongs to the cuckoo family
Conservation status: Least concern (Population decreasing)
Habitat: Primary and secondary forests; pine forests
Diet: Insects such as centipedes, scorpions, snails, worms; small snakes and lizards
Pied Bush Chat
Saxicola caprata
Size: 13-14cm in length, 14-26g
Features: Male is glossy black save for a white rump; female is light brown and streaked
Conservation status: Least concern (Population decreasing)
Habitat: Open terrain habitats such as grasslands, scrub, cultivation; nests in cavities in stone walls, embankment holes; lines nest with grass and hair
Diet: Small insects and larvae (beetles, caterpillars, midges, ants, earthworms), berries
Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker
Dendrocopos maculatus
Size: 13-14cm in length, 22-30g
Note: In Kapampangan, known as anluage (vernacular for carpenter or workman)
Call/voice: Stuttered "pilt-pilt-pilt"
Features: Male with dark brown forehead to hindcrown, blacker at sides, small red patch at side of hindcrown
Conservation status: Least concern (not globally threatened)
Habitat: Light to dense primary and secondary forests, cloudforests, plantations; edge of forests
Diet: Small insects, mostly ants, grubs and larvae
Orange Bellied Flowerpecker
Dicaeum trigonostigma
Size/Weight: 8-9cm
Features: Male distinctive with slaty-blue upperparts (crown/nape/wings/tail) save for large triangular orange patch on mantle; female is duller, mostly olive brown
Conservation status: Least concern (not globally threatened)
Habitat: Various forest types including dipterocarp, lower montane, lowland, highland heath
Diet: Fruits
Olive Backed Sunbird
Cinnyris jugularis
Size/Weight: 10-11cm; 6-11g
Note: Also known as yellow bellied sunbird; hovers while taking nectar
Features: Underparts are predominantly yellow, dull brown backs
Conservation status: Least concern (not globally threatened)
Habitat: Even urban dwellings, original mangrove habitat; forest edge, coasts, open country
Diet: Nectar, small insects including butterflies
Red Rumped Swallow
Cecropis daurica
Size/Weight: 16-17cm; 22.5-30g
Note: Builds nests on cave walls, house eaves
Features: Nominate race has glossy deep blue crown and back
Conservation status: Least concern (population stable)
Habitat: Open hilly country, river gorges, valleys, sea cliffs, cultivation and human dwellings
Diet: Flies, bugs, termites
Yellow Vented Bulbul
Pycnonotus goiavier
Size/Weight: 19-20cm; 24-37g
Note: Also known as Eastern Yellow-Vented Bulbul
Features: Noisy, with a stubby, erectile chest; broad supercilium, crown side and cheeks
Conservation status: Least concern (population increasing)
Habitat: Cultivated areas, urban areas, open habitats, coastal scrub, shoals of large rivers
Diet: Berries, small fruits, nectar, insects
Brown Breasted Kingfisher
Halcyon gularis
Size/Weight: 26.5-28cm; 71-108g
Voice: Male call is loud, descending whistle: "pe-pe-pe-pe-pe-pe"
Note: Also known as White Throated Kingfisher
Features: Medium-sized kingfisher; face sides, mantle, belly of brown/orange
Conservation status: Least concern (population increasing)
Habitat: Clearings, fish ponds, submerged fields, rivers, open country
Diet: Fish, fruit bats, insects
Philippine Hanging Parrot
Loriculus philippensis
Size/Weight: 14cm; 31-40g
Voice/Call: High-pitched, repeated "tziit tziit tziit tziit"
Features: Small parrot species; males have red area in front; red forehead and dark brown irises; adults have red beaks and orange legs
Conservation status: Least concern (population increasing)
Habitat: Tropical moist lowland forests, bamboo forests, tropical moist montane forests; secondary forests, human-modified environments, forest edge
Diet: Nectar, blossoms, soft fruits and some seeds (banana)
(not in poster)
Blue Headed Fantail
Rhipidura Cyaniceps
Size/Weight: 18cm; 10-18.5g
Call: Metallic staccato "chip-chip-chip-chip"
Note: Confined to Luzon
Features: Greyish-blue head and mantle, paler blue feather shafts
Conservation status: Least concern (population stable)
Habitat: Variety of wooded habitats from primary forests to edge of forests
Diet: Insects