Isabela oriole | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Oriolidae |
Genus: | Oriolus |
Species: | O. isabellae |
Binomial name | |
Oriolus isabellae Ogilvie-Grant, 1894 | |
Known locations of sightings or collections |
The Isabela oriole (Oriolus isabellae) is a species of the oriole family endemic to Luzon in the Philippines. It is an oriole identified by its yellowish green plumage and a very large gray bill. This species was presumed to be extinct for many years until its rediscovery in December 1993 near Diffun, Quirino, [2] and in Mansarong in September 1994. [3] Additional sightings were made in San Mariano, Isabela. and Baggao, Cagayan Valley [4] It It is found in moist lowland forest up to 440 masl. It is critically endangered with estimates of just 50 to 250 mature individuals remaining. It is threatened by habitat loss and hunting.
It is described on EBird as "A medium-sized bird of lowland forest, including secondary habitats and bamboo in northern Luzon. Yellow underparts blend into olive upperparts. Bill fairly long and silver. Forages for fruit and insects, sometimes in mixed-species flocks. Similar to White-lored Oriole, but slightly larger, with a silver rather than red bill and no white spot in front of the eye. Song consists of a medium-pitched, upslurred whistle, “hoowit!” [5] This species is monotypic.
The Isabela oriole is commonly confused with the much more common white-lored orioles and black-naped orioles. It is differentiated by its extremely large bill grey bill, uniform olive-yellow plumage and lack of white on its lores.
The Isabela oriole is most closely related to the white-lored oriole. Both species are closely related to the paraphyletic Philippine oriole. [6] The Isabela oriole is sometimes considered to form a superspecies with the dark-throated oriole and the Philippine oriole. [7] Alternate names for the Isabela oriole include the green-lored oriole and olive-lored oriole.
Feeds mostly on fruit but also insects such as larvae and caterpillars. Typically seen alone, in pairs or small groups in the middle storey to the canopy. It is seen in mixed flocks with other birds such as bar-bellied cuckooshrikes, black-and-white trillers, blackish cuckooshrikes and other forest birds.
Breeding believed to occur during April to June. In 2022, the first record and photographs of a juvenile were released. [8]
The Isabela oriole is now confined to the lowland forests in the Northern Sierra Madre mountain range in Luzon. [9] It is frequently seen in the canopy and middle storeys of forests and also forest edge or patches up to 440 masl.
It has not been recorded in Bataan province since 1947 despite an intensive search done in 2014. [1]
The Isabela oriole has a known population of about 50-250 mature individuals and is assessed as Critically Endangered based on its extremely small and fragmented population. [1] Organisations such as Buhay-Ilang, ORIS Project and the Mabuwaya Foundation are working to conserve them with educational programs and festivals celebrating this bird. The oriole is now a Flagship species for the North Sierra Madre National Park.
Since 2015, a research and conservation project for the Isabela Oriole has been implemented in Baggao by the Mabuwaya Foundation. Information, education and communication, community consultations are held in Baggao with the local government, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and local residents. Plans are underway to declare the oriole site in Baggao a Critical Habitat and to encourage ecotourism. [10]
Under the Philippine law RA9147, it is completely illegal to hunt these birds or to capture and keep them as pets. [11] As it is crically endangered species on the Philippine Red List, any violations have harsher punishments including "imprisonment of a minimum of six (6) years and one (1) day to twelve (12) years and/or a fine of One hundred thousand pesos (100,000.00) to One million pesos (1,000,000.00), if inflicted or undertaken against species listed as critical"
The Luzon hornbill, sometimes called Luzon tarictic hornbill, is a species of hornbill in the family Bucerotidae. It is endemic to forests on Luzon and nearby islands in the northern Philippines. All five Philippine tarictics were once considered a single species. It is declining due to habitat destruction, hunting and the illegal wildlife trade.
The rufous coucal is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is found in Luzon and proximate islands in the Philippines. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss. Along with the Philippine coucal, Black-faced coucal and the critically endangered Black-hooded coucal, it is one of the 4 endemic coucals.
The cream-breasted fruit dove or cream-bellied fruit dove is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is a large and primarily greenish dove with a distinctive red wing patch and cream coloured breast which it was named after. It is endemic to the Philippines found only on the islands of Luzon, Catanduanes and Polillo Islands. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland to montane forests of up to 1,300 masl. It is threatened by habitat loss, and trapping for the pet trade.
The blackish cuckooshrike or the blackish cicadabird or Luzon graybird, is a species of bird in the family Campephagidae. It is endemic to the Philippines on the islands of Luzon, Catanduanes, Marinduque and Cebu where it is presumed extinct. Some taxonomists place this species in the genus Analisoma.Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forest where it is believed to be declining due to habitat loss.
The black-bibbed cicadabird or black-bibbed cuckooshrike is a species of bird in the family Campephagidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. The species is elusive and poorly known. This species has five subspecies that differ considerably in plummage, it is possible that this may actually be a species complex and consists of multiple species.
The blue-breasted blue flycatcher, also known as the blue-breasted flycatcher, is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found only north and central parts of Luzon. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests. The Rufous-breasted blue flycatcher was formerly considered to be a subspecies.
The furtive flycatcher is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found only on the island of Luzon.
The celestial monarch is a species of bird in the family Monarchidae, and one of the most attractive of all the monarch flycatchers. It is identified as a turquoise blue bird with a long and spectacular cerulean blue crest and large greenish-yellow wattle. It is endemic to the Philippines with its extant range being in Luzon, Samar, Mindanao Tawi-Tawi and Basilan and it being possibly extinct on Negros and Sibuyan Island.Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests up to 750 masl. There is an unverified report of this bird in 2024 in Leyte. It is one of the most sought after birds by birdwatchers in the Philippines and in the world.
The Philippine fairy-bluebird is a species of bird in the family Irenidae. It is endemic to the Philippines being found in the islands of Luzon, Mindanao, Samar and Bohol.
The black-and-white triller is a species of bird in the family Campephagidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests.
The white-lored oriole is a species of bird in the family Oriolidae. It is endemic to Luzon island (Philippines). It was formerly conspecific with the Philippine oriole but has since been separated as its own species. It was also formerly theorized that the critically endangered Isabela oriole was this species until it was rediscovered and proven otherwise.
The Philippine oriole or grey-throated oriole is a species of bird in the family Oriolidae. It is endemic to the Philippine found on Mindanao and most of the Visayan Islands.
The golden-crowned babbler is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found only in the moist tropical forest in Northern Luzon. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The Luzon striped babbler is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is one of the four striped babblers along with the Negros striped babbler, Panay striped babbler and Palawan striped babbler. It is endemic to the Philippines, where it is only found in northern Luzon and in Bataan. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The Philippine trogon is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found on regions of Luzon, East Visayas and Mindanao. It is the only species of trogon in the country. While not a threatened species, its population is declining due to habitat loss and hunting.
The Philippine green pigeon is a pigeon in the genus Treron. It is endemic to the Philippines where it lives in the tropical moist lowland forests. It is part of the pompadour green pigeon complex which it was once conspecific with.
The Bicol ground warbler is a species of passerine bird in the family Locustellidae. It is native to southern Luzon and Catanduanes in the Philippines. It was formerly conspecific and forms a species complex with the Cordillera ground warbler and Sierra Madre ground warbler, which are some of most elusive birds in the country due to their extremely shy nature. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.
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.
The Sierra Madre ground warbler is a species of passerine bird in the family Locustellidae. It is endemic to the island of Luzon in the Philippines, where it is found in the northeastern and eastern foothills of the Sierra Madre. Its habitat is in tropical moist lowland and the lower reaches of tropical montane forest. It was formerly conspecific and forms a species complex with the Cordillera ground warbler and Bicol ground warbler, which are some of most elusive birds in the country due to their extremely shy nature.While not officially threatened, its population is said to be declining due to habitat destruction through deforestation.
The Sierra Madre is the longest mountain range in the Philippines. Spanning over 540 kilometers (340 mi), it runs from the province of Cagayan down to the province of Quezon, forming a north–south direction on the eastern portion of Luzon, the largest island of the archipelago. It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east, Cagayan Valley to the northwest, Central Luzon to the midwest, and Calabarzon to the southwest. Some communities east of the mountain range, along the coast, are less developed and so remote that they could only be accessed by taking a plane or a boat.