| Tablas fantail | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Rhipiduridae |
| Genus: | Rhipidura |
| Species: | R. sauli |
| Binomial name | |
| Rhipidura sauli | |
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The Tablas fantail (Rhipidura sauli) is a fantail endemic to the Philippines on Tablas Island. Until recently, it was considered conspecific with the blue-headed fantail and Visayan fantail. It is threatened by habitat loss.
EBird describes the bird as "A medium-sized, long-tailed bird of lowland forest on Tablas. Dull blue on the head, chest, back, and shoulder with some paler blue streaking on the chest and crown. Has a buff belly, a rufous lower back, rump, outer tail feathers, and wing, and a dark wing edge and dark central tail feathers. Tail often held cocked and fanned while foraging. Similar to black-naped monarch, but Tablas fantail has a rufous rump and tail. Voice includes single nasal 'jep' notes given at intervals or speeded up into a rapid series." [2]
It was formerly conspecific with the blue-headed fantail and Visayan fantail but it is differentiated from the with its darker brown belly, longer wings, lower pitched calls, stronger rufous wingpanel connecting to its back. [3]
This species is monotypic and has no subspecies.
The diet of the Tablas fantail consists of insects. It is often observed in mixed flocks with other birds such as Rufous paradise flycatcher, Black-naped monarch, White-vented whistler and other small forest birds.
Barely anything is known about this species breeding behaviour. Young birds seen in late March. Breeding habits pressumed to be similar to the Blue-headed fantail which nests in a small cup made of plant fibers, roots and moss and lays 2 cream colored eggs with gray spots and blotches. [4]
The species inhabits tropical moist lowland primary forest in areas with mature closed-canopy forest. It is believed to be less tolerant to habitat disturbances compared to close relatives the Blue-headed fantail and Visayan fantail. [3]
The IUCN Red List classifies this bird as vulnerable with population estimates of 2,500 to 9,999 mature individuals. This species' main threat is habitat loss with wholesale clearance of forest habitats as a result of legal and illegal logging, and conversion into farmlands through Slash-and-burn and other methods.The species does not occur at high density even within the little remaining forest cover on Tablas:
Mt Palaupau serves as a watershed for Tablas Island.
There are no species specific conservation programs going on at the moment but conservation actions proposed include more species surveys to better understand habitat and population. initiate education and awareness campaigns to raise the species's profile and instill pride in locals. Lobby for protection of remaining forest and assess feasibility of reforestation projects, [5]
Fantails are small insectivorous songbirds of the genus Rhipidura in the family Rhipiduridae, native to Australasia, Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Most of the species are about 15 to 18 cm long, specialist aerial feeders, and named as "fantails", but the Australian willie wagtail is a little larger, and, though still an expert hunter of insects on the wing, concentrates equally on terrestrial prey.
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.
The Philippine tailorbird, also known as the Visayan tailorbird or the Chestnut-crowned tailorbird is a species of bird formerly placed in the "Old World warbler" assemblage, but now placed in the family Cisticolidae. It is native to the Philippines in Western Visayas. Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forests, tropical mangrove forests and secondary growth.
The rufous-headed tailorbird is a species of bird in the family Cettiidae. It is found only in the Philippines on the island of Mindanao. Its natural habitats are in tropical moist montane forest.
The white-browed shama is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found only on the islands of Luzon,Marinduque and the Polillo Islands. The Visayan shama, formerly considered a subspecies, was split as a distinct species in 2021.
The Palawan blue flycatcher is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found only on Palawan and its surrounding islands.
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 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. Along with the Celestial monarch, It is one of the most sought after birds among birdwatchers.
The Bougainville fantail, formerly the brown fantail, is a species of bird in the family Rhipiduridae. It is endemic of Bougainville Island in the Solomon Islands. It was formerly considered to be conspecific with the Guadalcanal fantail.
The white-bellied thicket fantail is a species of bird in the family Rhipiduridae. This species is one of 47 in the genus Rhipidura. It is found in New Guinea. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests.
The black thicket fantail is a species of bird in the family Rhipiduridae. It is found in the Aru Islands and New Guinea. This species is one of 47 in the genus Rhipidura.
The black-and-cinnamon fantail is a species of bird in the fantail family Rhipiduridae. It is endemic to the island of Mindanao in the Philippines where it is found in the tropical montane forests above 1,000 meters above sea level. The specific name is derived from Latin niger for 'black', and cinnamomeus for 'cinnamon'.
The Mindanao blue fantail is a species of bird in the family Rhipiduridae. It is one of 47 species in the genus Rhipidura. It is endemic to the Philippines found only on the island of Mindanao and Basilan. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests. It was previously conspecific with the Visayan blue fantail.
The Luzon water redstart, also known as the Luzon redstart, is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found primarily on Luzon with no records in Mindoro since 1965. Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forest, tropical moist montane forest, and rivers. It is threatened by habitat loss.
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.
The rufous paradise flycatcher is a species of bird in the family Monarchidae. It is found in Indonesia and the Philippines. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests.
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.
The Visayan fantail is a fantail endemic to the Philippines on islands of Negros, Panay, Guimaras, Masbate and Ticao. Until recently, it was considered conspecific with the blue-headed fantail and Tablas fantail.
The Philippine pied fantail is a medium-size species of bird in the family Rhipiduridae endemic to the Philippines. It was formerly considered conspecific with the Malaysian pied fantail.
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.
