Samar hornbill

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Samar hornbill
Samar Hornbill Pair.jpg
A female (left) and male (right)
CITES Appendix II (CITES) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Bucerotiformes
Family: Bucerotidae
Genus: Penelopides
Species:
P. samarensis
Binomial name
Penelopides samarensis
Steere, 1890
Synonyms

Penelopides panini samarensis
Penelopides affinis samarensis

Contents

The Samar hornbill (Penelopides samarensis) is a species of hornbill in the family Bucerotidae. It is found in forests on the islands of Samar, Calicoan, Leyte and Bohol in the east-central Philippines. As is the case with all Philippine tarictic hornbills, it has been considered a subspecies of Visayan hornbill Alternatively, it is considered a subspecies of Mindanao hornbill.

It is illegal to hunt, capture or possess these birds under Philippine Law RA 9147. [2]

Description and taxonomy

Ebird described it as "A fairly large bird of lowland and foothill forest. Small for a hornbill. Bill fairly short with black bands, and with bare skin around the eyes and chin. Male has pale underparts and head with a black cheek, a pale buffy tail with a black tip, and pale blue facial skin. Female is entirely black with a buffy band through the center of the tail and darker blue facial skin. Rufous hornbill occurs in some of the same areas, but has a red bill. Samar Hornbill's voice is a short, medium-pitched honk, reminiscent of a squeaky toy, often given in rapid series." [3]

Formerly was once a single species. Visayan hornbill, Luzon hornbill, Mindanao hornbill and Mindoro hornbill. It is most similar to the Mindanao hornbill which it was again split from although some authorities believe in its treatment as a subspecies. It is differentiated from the Mindanao hornbill as it is larger and the male has black and not rufous uppertail. Its call is also in a slightly lower frequency. [4]

Ecology and behavior

They are primarily frugivorous eating figs and berries but they are also known to eat insects, lizards and other small animals. Usually seen in pairs but can form flocks of up to 15 birds.

All hornbills are monogamous and mate for life.They are cavity nesters and rely on large dipterocarp trees for breeding. The female seals itself within the tree cavity and the male is in charge of gathering food for its mate and chicks. The male stores food in a gular pouch and regurgitates it to feed its mate and chicks.

Cooperative breeding, wherein immature birds from previous seasons help out in feeding the female and chick has not been observed with this species so far. Among Philippine hornbills, it has only been recorded with the Rufous hornbill.

Among the tarictics, this species is one of the least studied but breeding habits believed to be similar to the better studied Luzon and Visayan hornbill. Clutch size is pressumed to be 2 to 3 eggs. Incubation period is slightly shorter than the Luzon hornbill at just 25 days. In captivity, which may also refer to the Mindanao hornbill which it was formerly conspecific with, chicks fledge within 47 to 54 days. [5] [6] [7]

Habitat and conservation status

Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forest with most records under 750 meters above sea level.

IUCN still recognizes it as a subspecies of the Mindanao hornbill so there is no specific assessment for this species. However, it has gone 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. There is only 4% forest remaining in Bohol and around 400km2 of primary forest combined in Samar and Leyte with no respite in deforestation.

This occurs in a few protected areas such as Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape and Samar Island Natural Park however protection is lax. [8]

Related Research Articles

<i>Penelopides</i> Genus of birds

Penelopides is the genus of relatively small, primarily frugivorous hornbills restricted to forested areas of the Philippines. Their common name, tarictic hornbills, is an onomatopoetic reference to the main call of several of them. They have a ridged plate-like structure on the base of their mandible. All are sexually dimorphic: males of all species are whitish-buff and black, while females of all except the Mindoro hornbill are primarily black.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visayan hornbill</span> Species of bird

The Visayan hornbill is a hornbill found in tropical moist lowland forests of the Philippines in the Western Visayas region which includes the islands of Panay, Negros and formerly as well as the island of Masbate, and formerly Ticao, in the Philippines. As is the case with all five Philippine tarictic hornbills, formerly considered to be just one species.It is declining due to habitat destruction, hunting and the illegal wildlife trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walden's hornbill</span> Species of bird

Walden's hornbill locally called dulungan, also known as the Visayan wrinkled hornbill, rufous-headed hornbill or writhe-billed hornbill, is a critically endangered species of hornbill living in the rainforests on the islands of Negros and Panay in the Philippines. It is closely related to the writhed hornbill, but can be recognized by the yellow throat and ocular skin in the male, and the blue throat and ocular skin in the female. Its binomial name commemorates the Scottish ornithologist Viscount Walden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mindanao hornbill</span> Species of bird

The Mindanao hornbill, also known as the Mindanao tarictic hornbill, is a medium-small species of hornbill found in the canopy of rainforests on Mindanao, Dinagat, Siargao and Basilan in the southern Philippines. All five Philippine tarictics we're once considered a single species. It is declining due to habitat destruction, hunting and the illegal wildlife trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue-headed fantail</span> Species of bird

The blue-headed fantail is a fantail endemic to the northern Philippines where it is found on the islands of Luzon and Catanduanes. Until recently, it was considered conspecific with the Tablas fantail and Visayan fantail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pink-bellied imperial pigeon</span> Species of bird

The pink-bellied imperial pigeon, also known as the zone-tailed pigeon, is found in the Philippines. It is a large and striking dove reaching sizes of up to 42cm long. The pink-bellied imperial pigeon is mostly dark green, with a pale gray head, an appropriately pink belly, and a brown, black, and gray pattern on its tail. Its eyes and eye ceres are red. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufous hornbill</span> Species of bird

The rufous hornbill, also known as the Philippine hornbill and locally as kalaw, is a large species of hornbill endemic to the Philippines. They are referred by locals as the "clock-of-the-mountains" due to its large booming call which typically occur of every hour. It occurs in moist tropical lowland forest. They are now considered to be a threatened species and its reasons for decline being habitat destruction, hunting and poaching for the illegal pet trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Writhed hornbill</span> Species of bird

The writhed hornbill, also known as the Mindanao wrinkled hornbill, is a species of hornbill in the family Bucerotidae. It is endemic to primarily lowland forests on the Philippine islands of Mindanao, Dinagat and Camiguin Sur. It formerly included the Walden's hornbill as a subspecies, but unlike that species, both sexes of the writhed hornbill have orange-red throat and peri-ocular skin. The writhed hornbill is threatened by habitat loss and hunting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luzon hornbill</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mindoro hornbill</span> Species of bird

The Mindoro hornbill is a species of hornbill in the family Bucerotidae. It is endemic to forests on Mindoro in the Philippines found in tropical moist lowland forests. As is the case with all five Philippine tarictic hornbills, formerly considered to be just one species. It is the only tarictic hornbill where both sexes are creamy-white and black. The sexes are very similar, differing primarily in the colour of the ocular ring. It is threatened by habitat loss, and is consequently considered endangered by the IUCN.

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

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visayan broadbill</span> Species of bird

The Visayan broadbill is a species of bird in the family Eurylaimidae where it was previously conspecific with the wattled broadbill. It is endemic to the islands of Samar, Leyte and Bohol in the central Philippines. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Short-crested monarch</span> Species of bird

The short-crested monarch is a species of bird in the family Monarchidae and one of the most attractive of all the monarch flycatchers. It is a brilliant ultramarine blue bird with the males having a black facial markings with an electric blue eyering and a short crest contrasted with a pearly white belly. It is endemic to the Philippines found on the islands of Luzon, Camiguin Norte, Polilio, Catanduanes, Samar, Dinagat and Mindanao. It is found in tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss. It is one of the most sought after birds among birdwatchers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brown tit-babbler</span> Species of bird

The brown tit-babbler is a species of bird in the family Timaliidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forest and or tropical moist montane forest.

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

The stripe-breasted rhabdornis, also known as the stripe-breasted creeper or plain-headed creeper, is a species of bird currently placed in the starling family, Sturnidae. It is endemic to the Philippines on the islands of Mindanao, Leyte, Samar and Biliran. It is typically found in tropical montane and submontane forest but has been found as low as 230 masl in Leyte. It is part of a species complex that includes the Visayan rhabdornis and the Grand rhabdornis which were formerly subspecies of this bird.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stripe-headed rhabdornis</span> Species of bird

The stripe-headed rhabdornis or stripe-headed creeper, also known as the stripe-sided rhabdornis, is a species of bird currently placed in the starling family, Sturnidae. It is endemic to the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine jungle flycatcher</span> Species of bird

The Philippine jungle flycatcher is a species of passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests up to 1,000 meters above sea level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visayan babbler</span> Species of bird

The Visayan babbler also known as the Visayan Black-crowned Babbler. is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. It is found on Samar, Leyte and Bohol. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forest. It was formerly conspecific to the northern population of the Calabarzon black-crowned babbler but has since been split as a species due to differences in its yellowish throat and whiter belly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Visayan blue fantail</span> Species of bird

The Visayan blue fantail is a species of bird in the family Rhipiduridae. It is endemic to the Philippines on the islands of Bohol, Leyte and Samar. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests. It was previously conspecific with the Mindanao blue fantail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Short-tailed drongo</span> Species of bird

The short-tailed drongo is a species of passerine bird in the family Dicruridae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests.

References

  1. "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  2. 11th Congress. "Republic Act No. 9147". Official Gazette of the Philippines.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. "Samar Hornbill - eBird". ebird.org. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  4. Kirwan, Guy M.; Kemp, Alan C.; Boesman, Peter F. D. (2021). "Samar Hornbill (Penelopides samarensis), version 2.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.samhor1.02species_shared.bow.project_name. ISSN   2771-3105.
  5. Allen, Desmond (2020). Birds of the Philippines. Barcelona: Lynx and Birdlife Guides International. pp. 202–203.
  6. Kemp, Alan C.; Boesman, Peter F. D. (2020). "Luzon Hornbill (Penelopides manillae), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.luzhor1.01species_shared.bow.project_name. ISSN   2771-3105.
  7. Kirwan, Guy M.; Kemp, Alan C.; Boesman, Peter F. D. (2021). "Mindanao Hornbill (Penelopides affinis), version 2.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.minhor1.02species_shared.bow.project_name. ISSN   2771-3105.
  8. IUCN (2020-09-09). Penelopides affinis: BirdLife International: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T61623294A184679044 (Report). International Union for Conservation of Nature. doi:10.2305/iucn.uk.2020-3.rlts.t61623294a184679044.en.