Cebu flowerpecker

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Cebu flowerpecker
Dicaeumquadricolor.jpg
by Joseph Smit
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Dicaeidae
Genus: Dicaeum
Species:
D. quadricolor
Binomial name
Dicaeum quadricolor
(Tweeddale, 1878)

The Cebu flowerpecker (Dicaeum quadricolor) is a small passerine bird. It is endemic to Cebu Island in the Philippines. Feared to have become extinct early in the 20th century, it was rediscovered in 1992 in a small patch of limestone forest in the Central Cebu Protected Landscape. It has since been found at three other sites, namely the Nug-as forest of Alcoy, Mount Lantoy of Argao and the forests of Dalaguete. This four-colored bird normally grows to 11 or 12 centimeters. The male is characterized by a large, triangular, scarlet to vermilion coat stain. In the female, the top is brown. The Cebu flowerpecker consumes small fruits and mistletoe plants and is generally active in the mornings to avoid competition with more aggressive birds. Despite attempts to protect its habitat it remains critically endangered due to illegal logging.

Contents

Description

This four-colored bird normally grows to 11 or 12 centimeters. The male is characterized by a large, triangular, scarlet to vermilion coat stain. The lower back is ochre with green approach. Back, neck, head and sides of neck, wings and tail are glossy blue-black. The underside is pale yellow. Chin, belly center, armpits, under tail-coverts, and under wing-coverts are white. The edges are blurred light olive.

In the female, the top is brown. The head is slightly faded olive, the back, the wing-coverts and outer webs of secondaries are strongly washed out olive. The rump is almost entirely olive-yellow. The underside is white with a faint gray olive-yellow approach that is brighter towards the center of the chest and abdomen. The under wing-coverts, shoulders and inner webs of the quills are white.

Status

The Cebu flowerpecker is a critically endangered breeding bird. It was feared to have become extinct early in the 20th century after the clearance of most of the island's forests, but was rediscovered in 1992 in a small patch of limestone forest in the Central Cebu Protected Landscape and has since been found at three other sites, namely, the Nug-as forest of Alcoy, Mount Lantoy of Argao and the forests of Dalaguete. The rediscovery of the Cebu flowerpecker along with historical evidence of primary forest where it had been thought none remained suggests that Cebu and eight of its endemic birds were written off too early. Other possible sites for this species are in Malabuyoc. The current population is estimated to be between 85 and 105. [2]

Habitat

The Cebu Flowerpecker is known to inhabit the Tabunan Forest, the Babayungan Forest in Dalaguete, and the Nug-as Forest in Alcoy on the island of Cebu in the Philippines. [3] The Cebu Flowerpecker is commonly found in the closed forest canopy and near flowering or fruiting plants; these areas are located in the interior and outskirt ranges of the forests. [3]

Diet

The Cebu Flowerpecker consumes small fruits and mistletoe plants to get its energy; these mistletoe plants are ideal for many birds in Cebu because they are abundant and bear fruits and flowers on a monthly basis. [4] The endemic Cebu Mistletoe, Lepeostegeres cebuensis, that it has been seen feeding on most varies from other common mistletoe plants in its ridges of orange-brown scales on the young leaves and internodes. [4] It is a light green color and blossoms needle-like pink flowers about 4 millimeters long in clusters which are a great source of food for the Cebu Flowerpecker. [4]

Behavior

While most diurnal birds tend to be active very early in the morning, the Cebu Flowerpecker differs. [5] Because the species is known to be bullied by other aggressive birds such as the Red-Striped Flowerpecker, it chooses to be active between 9 am to 1 pm, after the busiest time of the day, in order to avoid these more competitive species. [5] When foraging, it tends to fly quickly to its preferred flowering plant, feed, and then promptly fly away immediately after. [5] Although the Cebu Flowerpecker rarely calls, its sound is similar to the Pygmy Flowerpecker’s call. [5]

Threats

The Cebu Flowerpecker is currently categorized as critically endangered on the IUCN red list. [6] Many threats are known to impact the Cebu Flowerpecker with varying degrees. As of 2019, recent threat analysis in the Philippines considers the impact of anthropogenic activities which include deforestation, hunting, and expansion of infrastructure. [5] The highest intensity threat includes deforestation for the purposes of agricultural development and resource collection by local villagers in the Tabunan Forest; deforestation severely reduces the available food, shelter, and breeding habitats. [5] The next critical-level threat includes road development, in Nug-as forest in Alcoy, which leads to severe habitat fragmentation. [6] Due to reduced resources, there are increased levels of direct-competition between the Cebu Flowerpecker and other endemic species of the Nug-as Forest; this species is at high risk of being outcompeted. [5] Hunting in the is identified as a low-level threat as there are relatively scattered reports of Cebu Flowerpecker killings; penalizations for hunting the Cebu Flowerpecker are immediately dealt with. [5] Other lower-level threats may include invasive species, mining, climate change (e.g. flooding, storms). [6]

Conservation

The habitat of the Cebu Flowerpecker has been reduced to 1000 hectares. [3] Current conservation efforts include the Biodiversity Conservation Awareness, habitat restoration, biodiversity management, and protection by Central Cebu Protected Landscape, and the establishment of the Critical Habitat. [5] [6]  The Tabunan forest is located within the boundaries of the Central Cebu National Park; however, there are increased occurrences of illegal use of Tabunan forest resources. [5] Conservationists are pushing for the implementation of education and awareness programs in Cebu, as the local villagers largely contribute to habitat reduction and resource depletion. [5] [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flowerpecker</span> Family of birds

The flowerpeckers are a family, Dicaeidae, of passerine birds. The family comprises two genera, Dicaeum and Prionochilus, with 50 species in total. The family has sometimes been included in an enlarged sunbird family Nectariniidae. The berrypeckers of the family Melanocharitidae and the painted berrypeckers, Paramythiidae, were once lumped into this family as well. The family is distributed through tropical southern Asia and Australasia from India east to the Philippines and south to Australia. The family has a wide range occupying a wide range of environments from sea level to montane habitats. Some species, such as the mistletoebird of Australia, are recorded as being highly nomadic over parts of their range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcoy, Cebu</span> Municipality in Cebu, Philippines

Alcoy, officially the Municipality of Alcoy, is a 5th class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 19,186 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nilgiri flowerpecker</span> Species of bird

The Nilgiri flowerpecker is a tiny bird in the flowerpecker family. Formerly a subspecies of what used to be termed as the plain flowerpecker although that name is now reserved for Dicaeum minullum. Like others of the group, it feeds predominantly on nectar and fruits. They forage within the canopy of forests and are found in India. They are non-migratory and the widespread distribution range includes several populations that are non-overlapping and morphologically distinct, some of which are recognized as full species. They are important pollinators and dispersers of mistletoes in forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thick-billed flowerpecker</span> Species of bird

The thick-billed flowerpecker is a tiny bird in the flowerpecker group. They feed predominantly on fruits and are active birds that are mainly seen in the tops of trees in forests. It is a resident bird with a wide distribution across tropical southern Asia from India east to Indonesia and Timor with several populations recognized as subspecies some of which are sometimes treated as full species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-capped flowerpecker</span> Species of bird

The red-capped flowerpecker is a small passerine bird endemic to, and widespread within, New Guinea and adjacent islands. It has recently been split from the olive-crowned flowerpecker Dicaeum pectorale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olive-crowned flowerpecker</span> Species of bird

The olive-crowned flowerpecker is a small passerine bird in the flowerpecker family, Dicaeidae. It is found in far western New Guinea and on adjacent islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black shama</span> Species of bird

The Black shama is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the island of Cebu, Philippines where it is known locally as "Siloy".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Striped flowerpecker</span> Species of bird

The striped flowerpecker is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. It is sometimes considered conspecific with the thick-billed flowerpecker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-crowned flowerpecker</span> Species of bird

The yellow-crowned flowerpecker is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to Luzon Island in the Philippines. The flame-crowned flowerpecker, which is endemic to Mindanao, was formerly considered conspecific. Its natural habitat is tropical moist montane forest. It is becoming rare due to habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-keeled flowerpecker</span> Species of bird

The red-keeled flowerpecker or red-striped flowerpecker is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. The black-belted flowerpecker was formerly regarded as a subspecies of this bird.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bicolored flowerpecker</span> Species of bird

The bicolored flowerpecker is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buzzing flowerpecker</span> Species of bird

The buzzing flowerpecker or white-bellied flowerpecker is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fire-breasted flowerpecker</span> Species of bird

The fire-breasted flowerpecker is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae found in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Like other flowerpeckers, this tiny bird feeds on fruits and plays an important role in the dispersal of fruiting plants. Unlike many other species in the genus, this species has marked sexual dimorphism with the male having contrasting upper and lower parts with a distinctive bright orange breast patch. The female is dull coloured.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-sided flowerpecker</span> Species of bird

The black-sided flowerpecker, also known as the Bornean flowerpecker, is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to the island of Borneo, where it is found in the mountains, primarily above 1,000 m (3,300 ft) in elevation. The species is sexually dimorphic. The male has glossy blue-black upperparts, with a scarlet throat and breast, a dark grey upper belly, olive flanks, a white lower belly, and a buffy vent and undertail coverts. The female is olive-green above and greyish below, with buffy flanks and a whitish throat. It inhabits a range of forest habitats, including primary and secondary montane forest, kerangas forest, and scrub, and is also occasionally found in gardens. It feeds primarily on small fruits—particularly mistletoe berries—as well as seeds, nectar, and various invertebrates. It builds a nest of moss, camouflaged on the outside with lichens and lined with the pith of tree ferns. The International Union for Conservation of Nature rates it as a species of least concern. Though its numbers have not been quantified, the black-sided flowerpecker is said to be common throughout much of its range, and any declines are not thought to be precipitous. However, destruction of forest for palm plantations may impact it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olive-capped flowerpecker</span> Species of bird

The olive-capped flowerpecker is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to the island of Mindanao in the Philippines.Its natural habitat is tropical moist montane forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whiskered flowerpecker</span> Species of bird

The whiskered flowerpecker is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to the island of Mindanao in the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashy flowerpecker</span> Species of bird

The ashy flowerpecker is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to Indonesia where it occurs on Seram, Ambon and nearby islands in the Banda Arc. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

The Cebu boobook or Cebu hawk-owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the Philippine hawk-owl, but was reclassified in 2012, as voice and other data suggested placement in a distinct species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flame-crowned flowerpecker</span> Species of bird

The flame-crowned flowerpecker is a species of bird in the family Dicaeidae. It is endemic to Mindanao in the Philippines. The yellow-crowned flowerpecker, which is endemic to Luzon, was formerly considered conspecific.

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2018). "Dicaeum quadricolor". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T22717507A134203874. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22717507A134203874.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ↑ BirdLife Species Factsheet
  3. 1 2 3 Dutson, Guy C. L.; Magsalay, Perla M.; Timmins, Rob J. (September 1993). "The rediscovery of the Cebu Flowerpecker Dicaeum Quadricolor, with notes on other forest birds on Cebu, Philippines". Bird Conservation International. 3 (3): 235–243. doi: 10.1017/S0959270900000927 . ISSN   1474-0001.
  4. 1 2 3 PELSER, PIETER B.; NICKRENT, DANIEL L.; REINTAR, ANDREW R. T.; BARCELONA, JULIE F. (2016-06-17). "Lepeostegeres cebuensis (Loranthaceae), a new mistletoe species from Cebu, Philippines". Phytotaxa. 266 (1): 48. doi:10.11646/phytotaxa.266.1.8. ISSN   1179-3163.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Cebu Flowerpecker". EDGE of Existence. Retrieved 2021-03-14.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 International), BirdLife International (BirdLife (2018-08-19). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Dicaeum quadricolor". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2021-03-14.

Further reading

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