Justification This species qualifies as Critically Endangered because it has suffered an extremely rapid population reduction owing to extensive loss of its lowland habitats and trapping for the cagebird trade.

Family/Sub-family Psittacidae

Species name author (Müller, 1776)

Taxonomic source(s) Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Identification 31 cm. Small white cockatoo with red and yellow beneath tail. Adults have short erectile crest, pinkish-washed ear-coverts and lores, red undertail-coverts tipped and shafted white and a deep yellow suffusion beneath wings and tail. Male has black-brown iris, female has red-tinted iris. Juvenile initially has greyer iris, later brownish. Similar spp. Australian corellas and Solomons Cockatoo C. ducorpsii (not in range), lack white-tipped red undertail-coverts. Gathers on offshore islands when, at a distance, easily mistaken for Pied Imperial-pigeon Ducula bicolor. Voice Loud, harsh croaking or rasping call with two syllables.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

1,000 - 2,700

decreasing

22,800 km²

Yes

Range & population Cacatua haematuropygia is endemic to the Philippines. In 1950, it was common throughout but a rapid decline has left a population of c.1,000 birds. Of these, there are 250-700 on Palawan and its satellite islands, "several hundred" or 100-200 on Tawitawi, possibly extinct on Mindanao and less than twenty in the Polillo group of islands and Samar respectively. Subpopulations away from Palawan and the Sulus are mainly tiny and have few long-term prospects. Conservation efforts are underway at four sites; including on Rasa Island near Narra, Palawan, where the population increased from 20 in 1998 to over 200 in 2008⁵, and a record breeding season in 2008 saw 48 young banded by May 2008⁶; but elsewhere declines have continued.

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: It appears restricted to lowland primary and/or secondary forest predominantly below 50 m, in or adjacent to riverine or coastal areas with mangroves. It breeds from July to December and outside the breeding season it frequents both corn- and rice-fields. It depends on seasonally fluctuating food resources and is partially nomadic. Birds fly from the mainland to offshore islands as far as eight kilometres away from the mainland to roost and breed.

Threats On Palawan, Polillo and Samar, trapping is particularly serious, and the high price fetched per bird (c.US$160 in Manila in 1997 and US$300 in 2006) means that chicks are taken from virtually every accessible nest. High numbers were traded (legally) internationally in the 1980s (e.g. 422 in 1983). Lowland deforestation and mangrove destruction have been extensive throughout its range, and have contributed significantly to its decline. It is also persecuted as a crop-pest and hunted for food. Typhoons are a threat, at least in already declining populations. Very dry breeding seasons may lead to complete breeding failure. The release of captive birds may introduce disease into the wild population. Introduced predators represent a threat at many potential release sites.

Conservation measures underway CITES Appendix I (1992). It is known from five protected areas: Rasa Island Wildlife Sanctuary, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Omoi and Manambaling Cockatoo Reserves in Dumaran, Culasian Managed Resource Protected Area in Rizal and Samar Island Natural Park. It is also known from two sites proposed for major project funding: Dinagat and Tawitawi. Since 1998 an intensive species conservation programme, the Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Program (PCCP) has been implemented by the Katala Foundation. Three protected areas have been specifically created for the species in Palawan on Rasa Island, Dumaran and Rizal. Conservation efforts on Rasa Island, Palawan, recovered a small population from 25 individuals to over 200 by July 2008⁵. Poachers have been trained as wildlife wardens and were provided with alternative sources of income. This turned out to be the single most effective activity to prevent poaching and was repeated in three other project sites. Awareness campaigns have been conducted on Mindanao, Palawan and Polillo. Trilingual conservation posters have been distributed nationwide. The Katala Pride Campaign launched on Dumaran Island has focused on raising awareness among students and farmers². In 1992, an international captive-breeding programme was initiated, with 39 birds kept under the European Studbook in 2007⁶. In 2005, drought caused the starvation of 15 chicks, so ten chicks were hand-reared for an experimental translocation¹. Currently, sites are assessed and tested for their suitability for translocation. A first attempt on a resort island in northern Palawan indicated that rescued hand-raised birds can adapt well to natural conditions (foraging, predator avoidance), but was terminated owing to problems caused by tameness.

Conservation measures proposed Conduct surveys on all range islands to assess the species's population size and distribution. Monitor population trends. Monitor rates of habitat loss and degradation. Quantify levels of trapping, persecution and trade. Designate further protected areas (e.g. Tawitawi and localities on or near to Palawan). Support the proposed expansion of St Paul's Subterranean National Park. Prevent further mangrove destruction. Promote economically viable alternatives to cockatoo-trapping. Continue education programmes. Establish staffed posts at airports and ferry terminals. Conduct translocation into suitable (well-protected, intact) lowland forest or mangrove habitats.

References BirdLife International (2001). 1. Widmann and Widmann (2005). 2. Anon (2005). 3. Widmann et al. (2001). 4. Widmann et al. (2006). 5. Widmann and Widmann (2008). 6. P. Widmann in litt. (2008).

Further web sources of information

Fully detailed species accounts from the Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book (BirdLife International 2001), together with new information collated since the publication of the Red Data Book

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), James Lowen (BirdLife International), Alison Stattersfield (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International)

Contributors Peter Widmann

IUCN Red List evaluators Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Cacatua haematuropygia. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 9/2/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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