Mindoro racket-tail

Last updated

Mindoro racket-tail
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Psittaciformes
Family: Psittaculidae
Genus: Prioniturus
Species:
P. mindorensis
Binomial name
Prioniturus mindorensis
Steere, 1890

The Mindoro racket-tail (Prioniturus mindorensis) is a species of parrot in the Psittaculinae family. It was formerly considered conspecific with the blue-crowned racket-tail (Prioniturus discurus). It is endemic to the island of Mindoro [2] in the Philippines and it occurs in tropical moist lowland forest. [1] It is threatened by habitat loss and trapping for the cage-bird trade.

Contents

Description and taxonomy

EBird describes the bird as "A medium-sized parrot of lowland and foothill forest on Mindoro. The two central tail feathers have extended shafts ending in a racket shape. Overall green in color, darker on the back and paler below, with deeper green on the head, a deep blue central crown, and a dark blue hind-crown and edge to the wing. Note the pale bill. Occurs together with Blue-naped Parrot, but is smaller and lacks the thick red bill. Voice includes various squeals and grating calls." [3]

Females have shorter "rackets". [4]

It eats berries, seeds and nuts. [5]

Like all other racket-tails, they are cavity nesters.

Habitat and conservation status

It inhabits mainly tropical moist lowland forest but has been known to inhabit moist montane forest up to 1,670 meters above sea level, and has been to known to visit cultivated areas. [4]

IUCN has assessed this bird as near threatened with its population being estimated as 2,500 to 9,999 mature individuals. It is threatened by habitat loss through legal and illegal logging, mining, road construction, slash-and-burn or kaingin and trapping for both food and the pet trade. By 1988, extensive deforestation on Mindoro had reduced forest cover to a mere 120 km2, of which only a small proportion is below this species's upper altitudinal limit. The lowland forest that does remain is highly fragmented. Slash-and-burn cultivation, occasional selective logging and rattan collection threaten the forest fragments that still support the species. Dynamite blasting for marble is an additional threat to forest at Puerto Galera.

Conservation actions proposed are to survey to quantify the population. Study the species's habitat requirements. Assess the level of threat from trapping pressure. Use remote sensing techniques to track land-use change on Mindoro. Carry out awareness-raising activities to reduce trapping activities. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green racket-tail</span> Species of bird

The green racket-tail is an endemic parrot of the Philippines where it is found on Luzon and Marinduque. This species was once common, but is rapidly declining and is currently classified as endangered due to lowland deforestation and capture for cage-bird trade. The population is now estimated to be just 1,000 - 2,499 mature individuals and is continuing to decline with many local extinctions in its former range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psittaculini</span> Tribe of birds

Psittaculini is a tribe of parrots of the family Psittaculidae. The subdivisions within the tribe are controversial.

<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 fruit-eating bird reaching sizes of up to 42cm long.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue-crowned racket-tail</span> Species of bird

The blue-crowned racket-tail is a parrot found on all the larger islands of the Philippines except Palawan and Panay islands. It is 27 cm, basically green with a blue crown, bluish undertail, whitish beak, and dark underwings with green coverts. The blue-headed racket-tail was formerly included in this species.

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

The blue-headed racket-tail, also known as the Palawan racket-tail and locally as kinawihan, is a parrot found in the western Philippines around Palawan. The species was formerly considered conspecific with the blue-crowned racket-tail. It is locally known as 'kilit'. It inhabits humid lowland forest in small flocks. It is threatened by habitat destruction and limited trapping for the cage-bird 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 Philippine tarictic hornbills, it was once considered a subspecies of P. panini. 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.

The black-hooded coucal is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is endemic to Mindoro in the Philippines and is one of the most endangered birds in the country. It is threatened by habitat loss and trapping.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-breasted racket-tail</span> Species of bird

The yellow-breasted racket-tail is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae. It is endemic to Indonesia where it is found in Sulawesi's northern peninsula and the Togian Islands in the Gulf of Tomini. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buru racket-tail</span> Species of bird

The Buru racket-tail, is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae. It is endemic to the forest on the island of Buru, one of the Maluku Islands of Indonesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montane racket-tail</span> Species of bird

The montane racket-tail or the Luzon racket-tail, is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae. It was previously conspecific with the Mindanao racket-tail. It is endemic to the mountains of northern Luzon in the Philippines. It is threatened by habitat loss and the cage bird trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden-mantled racket-tail</span> Species of parrot

The golden-mantled racket-tail is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae. It is endemic to Indonesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest up to an altitude of about 3,000 metres (9,800 ft).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue-winged racket-tail</span> Species of bird

The blue-winged racket-tail or Sulu racquet-tail is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae. It is endemic to Tawi-Tawi island in the Philippines and is one of the most endangered parrots in the world. It is threatened by habitat loss and the poaching for the cage-bird trade.

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

The Mindanao racket-tail is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae. It is endemic to Mindanao in the Philippines. It was previously conspecific with the Luzon Racket-tail. Two subspecies are recognized: the nominate waterstradti in the south-east, and malindangensis in the west. Its natural habitat is

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

Hombron's kingfisher or the blue-capped kingfisher is a species of bird in the family Alcedinidae endemic to the Philippines and found only on Mindanao. It is one of the most colorful kingfishers in the country having a dark blue cap and wings with rufous spots, a striped rufous belly, white chin and red bill. Its natural habitats are on the upper ranges of tropical moist lowland forest and tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

<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.

<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">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.

The whiskered pitta is a rare species of bird in the family Pittidae. It is endemic to Luzon in the Philippines. This bird is the largest pitta in the country reaching 23 cm long and 116 g in mass. It has a brownish head, blue breast, and red belly. It has broad ash malar or "whiskers". Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forest and tropical moist montane forest. It is threatened by habitat loss and trapping. It is one of the most sought after birds by birdwatchers in the Philippines.

The Mindoro boobook or Mindoro hawk-owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae that is endemic to the Philippines.

The Sulu boobook or Sulu hawk-owl is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is endemic to the Sulu Archipelago in the Philippines. It was previously known as a subspecies of the Philippine hawk-owl, but was reclassified in 2012, as voice and other evidence suggested it was a distinct species. It is found in tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2016). "Prioniturus mindorensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22727878A94964334. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22727878A94964334.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. "Prioniturus mindorensis range map". International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Retrieved 2015-01-05.
  3. "Mindoro Racquet-tail". Ebird.
  4. 1 2 Allen, Desmond (2020). Birds of the Philippines. Barcelona: Lynx and Birdlife International Field Guides. pp. 226–229.
  5. Montane Racquet-tail( Prioniturus montanus) - BirdLife species factsheet
  6. International), BirdLife International (BirdLife (2016-10-01). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Prioniturus mindorensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2021-09-13.