Justification This species has been uplisted to Vulnerable because it is now suspected to be declining at a rapid rate, owing to continuing deforestation in the lowlands to which the species appears to be restricted. This decline is projected to continue.

Family/Sub-family Campephagidae

Species name author (Tweeddale, 1878)

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

Identification 22 cm. A medium-sized rather inconspicuous cuckoo-shrike that inhabits the canopy and middle storey of forest and second growth. Males are black-faced, with the black extending down onto the lower breast. The primaries are also black as are the outer tail feathers, much of the remaining plumage is pale grey. Females are largely pale grey. Similar spp. Blackish Cuckoo-shrike C. coerulescens has uniform colouration and sympatric races of Bar-bellied Cuckoo-shrike lack extensive black in the underparts (males) and have barred bellies (females). Voice Not adequately documented.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

2,500-9,999

decreasing

236,000 km²

Yes

Range & population Coracina mindanensis is endemic to the Philippines. Five subspecies occur: lecroyae on Luzon (considered very rare), elusa on Mindoro ("not common" in 1954), ripleyi on Samar (rare), Biliran, Leyte and Bohol (rarely recorded in Rajah Sikatuna National Park), nominate mindanensis on Mindanao (fairly common at the PICOP concession, Bislig) and Basilan, and everetti on Jolo, Lapac, Tawitawi and Bongao. There has been uncertainty over its status because although it is generally rare, it is also widespread and elusive, and may be overlooked in the forest canopy.

Ecology: It is probably highly elusive, sitting singly and silently in the forest canopy, but on Mt Malindang in 1956 it seemed to prefer forests of lower elevation, down to the lowlands, and indeed throughout its range the great majority of records are from well below 1,000 m. It is known from secondary growth but its degree of tolerance of such habitats is unclear.

Threats Its preference for low altitudes suggests that it must have suffered population losses with the loss of lowland forest in the Philippines through logging, agriculture encroachment, urban development, and conversion to oil palm or wood pulp plantations.

Conservation measures underway Its occurrence in protected areas has not yet been analysed. No species specific action is in place at present.

Conservation measures proposed Tape-record its vocalisations and use playback combined with mist-netting to establish its current distribution and population status in remnant lowland forest tracts. Campaign for the effective protection of important sites and propose further key sites found to support populations for formal protection.

References Collar et al. (1999).

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), Jonathan Ekstrom (BirdLife International)

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

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Coracina mindanensis. 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.

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