Justification This parrot qualifies as Endangered because it has a very small and fragmented range and population which continue to decline. Furthermore, it is predicted to undergo a very rapid population reduction in the near future based on the declines observed in the past and a decline in the extent and quality of its forest habitat. Without immediate conservation intervention, it may soon qualify as Critically Endangered.

Family/Sub-family Psittacidae

Species name author Sharpe, 1893

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

Identification 30 cm. Green parrot with racquet-like tail extensions. Whitish-grey bill. Bright green head, with bright blue crown. Male has large red spot in centre of crown. Rest of body yellowish-green, darkest on wings, with bluish wash to inner and outer webs of all primaries. Outer tail feathers tipped black and tail spatules also blackish. Similar spp. Possibly confusable with Tanygnathus parrots, but smaller, appearing shorter-tailed (except for racquets which can be difficult to see) and has pale (not red) bill (female T sumatranus has white bill also but bill is much larger). Voice Prioniturus trumpety calls are easy to detect.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

250-999

decreasing

620 km²

Yes

Range & population Prioniturus verticalis is endemic to the Sulu archipelago in the Philippines, where it is known from six islands. At the turn of the century it was described as locally abundant but, by the 1970s, it had evidently undergone a huge decline. It is now presumed extinct on Sanga-sanga and Sibutu, with no records for nearly 80 years from the islands of Bongao, Tumindao and Manuk Manka. Very small numbers persisted at three sites (Buan, Tarawakan and Parangan) on Tawitawi in the early 1990s, with the situation apparently continuing to deteriorate. The most recent record was two individuals seen in Himbah Barangay, Tandubas¹.

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

Ecology: It inhabits forests, including mangroves, which provide roosting and foraging (and potentially nesting) sites, and also frequents forest edge and degraded forest, but not cultivated areas away from forest.

Threats Virtually no primary forest remains on the islands of Sibutu and little forest on Sanga-sanga. By the mid-1990s, rapid clearance of primary forest on Tawitawi had rendered remaining lowland patches highly degraded, with plans to replace even these with oil-palm plantations. Logging of the few remaining tracts, now confined to rugged mountainous areas, is likely to be followed by uncontrolled settlement and conversion to agriculture. The tameness of this parrot, combined with high local gun ownership, have made it an easy target in the past.

Conservation measures underway CITES Appendix II. Military activity and insurgency continue to present a serious obstacle to general conservation activity in the Sulus. There are no formal protected areas in the archipelago. In 1997, an awareness campaign focusing on the conservation of terrestrial biodiversity on Tawitawi was initiated. A proposal exists to provide conservation funding for the Tawitawi/Sulu Coastal Area, although neither the outcome nor the likely benefits to the species is known.

Conservation measures proposed Conduct surveys in all remaining forest and mangrove patches in the Sulus to identify key sites. Urgently establish formal protected areas on Tarawakan (Tawitawi). Rapidly designate further remnant forest patches in the archipelago as protected areas. Key sites are: are the central hilly areas to the east of Tarawakan across to Lubbuk, and as much as possible of the forest east of there through Languyan municipality and the southern bay. Clarify proposal for conservation funding for the Tawitawi/Sulu Coastal Area. Continue and expand environmental awareness programmes.

References BirdLife International (2001). 1. B. Tabaranza in litt. (2007).

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), Pete Davidson (BirdLife International), James Lowen (BirdLife International), Nic Peet (BirdLife International)

Contributors D Allen, Blas Tabaranza

IUCN Red List evaluators Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Mike Crosby (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Prioniturus verticalis. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/2/2010

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.

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife

To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums