Sierra Madre ground warbler

Last updated

Sierra Madre ground warbler
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Locustellidae
Genus: Robsonius
Species:
R. thompsoni
Binomial name
Robsonius thompsoni
Hosner, Boggess, Alviola, Sánchez-González, LA, Oliveros, Urriza & Moyle, 2013
Robsonius thompsoni distribution map.png

The Sierra Madre ground warbler (Robsonius thompsoni) 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.

Contents

Description and taxonomy

EBird describes the bird as "A medium-sized bird of the forest floor from the lowlands to low elevations in the mountains in northeastern Luzon. Fairly stout, with a pale lower bill, long legs, and large feet. Pale below, with a grayish, faintly scaled chest and brown under the base of the tail. Note rufous face and forehead with pale bare skin in front of the eye, brown upperparts with two dotted white wingbars, and chestnut flight feathers. Note the white throat with black speckling below and a thin black moustache stripe. Unmistakable. Song consists of a very high-pitched tseeee-sip tsee-wee!" [2] Its song is extremely high-pitched and it is difficult to locate the source of the sound in the forest — they always sound like they are far away, even when they are almost at your feet. [3] [4]

The three species of ground warblers are similar in size, shape and in the coloration of their juvenile plumage, but they differ from one another in their adult plumage coloration. Due to these close similarities and general lack of information and specimens, these three species were conspecific until scientists conducted molecular studies that proved their validity as separate species. [5] It is differentiated from the Cordillera ground warbler and Bicol ground warbler by its ashy gray chest and the spotted markings on its chin and neck. [6]

The species was first described by the ornithologists Peter Hosner and colleagues in 2013 and given the binomial name Robsonius thompsoni. The specific epithet was chosen to honour the ornithologist Max C. Thompson. [7] This species is placed in the genus Robsonius that was introduced by the English ornithologist Nigel J. Collar in 2006. [8]

Behaviour and ecology

It is a ground-walking songbird — rotund, with strong legs and weak wings — and it appears that it can barely fly. [3] [4]

Food and feeding

Based on the stomach contents of a collected specimen, the diet of the Sierra Madre ground warbler is primarily invertebrates; it has been sighted scouring forest floors for prey hidden under leaves. While foraging it is known to cock its tail anywhere from 30 to 60 degrees.

Breeding

Very little is known about its breeding habits. It breeds from February to August w Nest is a large dome with a front entrance slightly above the ground. Clutch size is 2 white eggs with red speckles. [9]

Habitat and conservation status

It is found in lowland moist and low montane dipterocarp forest in primary forest, secondary forest and forest edge up to 1,300 m. It is typically found on the forest floor among limestone outcrops, bamboo and mossy rocks. [6]

IUCN has assessed this bird as a Least-concern species. The global population size has not been quantified, although it has been described as uncommon. However, it may be more common than suggested by field observations, owing to its secretive habits. Among the other Robsonius ground-warbles, the Sierra Madre ground warbler has the largest range.

Despite not being threatened, the Sierra Madre mountain range has experienced large amounts of deforestation that continues at present and thus results in a declining population. This species' main threat is habitat loss due to wholesale clearance of forest habitats as a result of logging, agricultural conversion and mining activities occurring within the range.

It is found in two protected areas in the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park and the Aurora Memorial National Park; however, like most areas in the Philippines protection is lax.

Conservation actions proposed include assessing the population size and establishing a monitoring programme to quantify trends; establishing its ability to persist in degraded habitats; identifying and assessing threats; and ensuring that the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park and the Aurora Memorial National Park are more effectively protected. [10]

Related Research Articles

<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">Blue-crowned racket-tail</span> Species of bird

The blue-crowned racket-tail is a parrot found endemic to the Philippines. It is 27cm, basically green with a blue crown, bluish undertail, whitish beak, and dark underwings with green coverts. It was formerly conspecific with, Mindoro racket-tail and Blue-headed racket-tail

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lemon-throated leaf warbler</span> Species of bird

The lemon-throated leaf warbler is a species of Old World warbler in the family Phylloscopidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found on the islands of Luzon, Negros and Cebu.

<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">Blue-breasted blue flycatcher</span> Species of bird

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.

<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 tropical moist lowland forest and or tropical moist montane forest.

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

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 Cordillera ground warbler, also known as Rabor's wren-babbler or the Luzon wren-babbler, is a species of bird currently placed in the family Locustellidae. It is endemic to the Philippines, where it is found in northwest Luzon in the foothills of the Cordillera Mountain Range.s natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests. It was formerly conspecific and forms a species complex with the Bicol ground warbler and Sierra Madre ground warbler, which are some of most elusive birds in the country due to their extremely shy nature. Among these three elusive species, the Cordillera ground warbler is the rarest and most threatened. It has only been photographed once in the wild.It is threatened by habitat loss.

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

The white-fronted tit is a species of bird in the family Paridae. It is endemic to the Philippines found in the islands of Luzon and Mindanao. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

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

The white-browed jungle flycatcher, also known as the Luzon jungle-flycatcher and the Rusty-flanked jungle-flycatcher, is a species of bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to Luzon island, in the Philippines. The natural habitat of the white-browed jungle flycatcher is tropical moist montane forests of the Cordillera Mountain Range and possibly Sierra Madre Mountains. It is threatened by habitat loss.

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

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.

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

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.

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

The ashy thrush, also known as the ashy ground-thrush, is a species of bird in the family Turdidae. It is endemic to the Philippines in Luzon and Mindoro. Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forests and or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss, and the illegal wildlife trade.

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

The Mindanao miniature babbler also known as the Mindanao plumed-warbler is a bird species in the family Cisticolidae. It was formerly conspecific with the Visayan miniature babbler. This bird is endemic to the Philippines found only on the island of Mindanao. Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forests and tropical moist montane forests. At just 7 centimeters long and weighing 5 grams, it is one of the smallest birds in Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bicol ground warbler</span> Species of bird

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trilling tailorbird</span> Species of bird

The trilling tailorbird or green-backed tailorbird is a species of bird formerly placed in the "Old World warbler" assemblage, but now placed in the family Cisticolidae. The bird is endemic to the Philippines on the Northern side of the island of Luzon. Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forests, tropical mangrove forests and secondary growth.

Robsonius is a genus of passerine birds in the family Locustellidae. The genus was introduced by the English ornithologist Nigel J. Collar in 2006 with the Cordillera ground warbler as the type species. The name was chosen to honour the British ornithologist Craig R. Robson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calabarzon babbler</span> Species of bird found in the Philippines

The Calabarzon babbler is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found in the island of Luzon. Contrary to its name, it is also found outside the Calabarzon region where it also inhabits Central Luzon, Bicol Peninsula and Catanduanes. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forest. It previously was considered a subspecies of the black-crowned babbler.

The rufous-breasted blue flycatcher is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found on the Bicol Peninsula and Catanduanes. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests. It was formerly treated as a subspecies of the blue-breasted blue flycatcher. It is one of the most mysterious and least observed species with no known photos of any living bird.

The Sierra Madre crow is a passerine bird in the crow family Corvidae that is endemic to the island of Luzon in the Philippines. It was formerly considered as conspecific with the Samar crow with the combined taxa known as the small crow. Its natural habitats are primary tropical moist lowland forest. It is now extremely rare and likely endangered. It is threatened by habitat loss and hunting.

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2016). "Robsonius thompsoni". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T103799569A104156423. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T103799569A104156423.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ↑ "Sierra Madre Ground Warbler". Ebird.
  3. 1 2 "sierra madre ground warbler new bird" . Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  4. 1 2 "'Ventriloquist' bird discovered in Philippines". Kansas University. 3 September 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  5. ↑ Foley, James. "New Bird Species Acts like a Ventriloquist".
  6. 1 2 Allen, Desmond (2020). Birds of the Philippines. Barcelona: Lynx and Birdlife Guides International. pp. 274–277.
  7. ↑ Hosner, P.A.; Boggess, N.C.; Alviola, P.; Sánchez-González, L.A.; Oliveros, C.H.; Urriza, R.; Moyle, R.G. (2013). "Phylogeography of the Robsonius Ground-Warblers (Passeriformes: Locustellidae) reveals an undescribed species from northeastern Luzon, Philippines". Condor. 115 (3): 630–639. doi:10.1525/cond.2013.120124. hdl: 1808/14475 . S2CID   54028888.
  8. ↑ Collar, N.J. (2006). "A partial revision of the Asian babblers (Timaliidae)" (PDF). Forktail. 22: 85–112 [108].
  9. ↑ del Hoyo, Josep; Collar, Nigel; Kirwan, Guy M. (2020). "Sierra Madre Ground-Warbler (Robsonius thompsoni), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.simgrw1.01species_shared.bow.project_name. ISSN   2771-3105.
  10. ↑ International), BirdLife International (BirdLife (2016-10-01). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Robsonius thompsoni". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2021-09-12.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.