The Visayan fantail (Rhipidura albiventris) 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.

Visayan fantail
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Rhipiduridae
Genus: Rhipidura
Species:
R. albiventris
Binomial name
Rhipidura albiventris
(Sharpe, 1877)

Description and taxonomy

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EBird describes the bird as "A medium-sized, long-tailed bird of forest . Dull blue on the head, chest, back, and shoulder, with some paler blue streaking on the chest and crown. Has a white belly and a rufous lower back, outer tail feathers, and wing, with dark central tail feathers and a dark edge to the wing. Often cocks and fans tail while foraging. Similar to Black-naped Monarch, but has rufous rump and tail. Voice is a single, nasal 'jep' note given at intervals or sped up into a rapid series."[2]

It is differentiated from the blue-headed fantail and Tablas fantail with its white belly and generally lighter coloration.

Ecology and behavior

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The diet of the Mindanao blue fantail consists of insects. It is often observed in mixed flocks with other birds such as Black-naped monarch, Flame-templed babbler, White-vented whistler, Lemon-throated leaf warbler, sunbirds and flowerpeckers.

Breeding has been recorded from February to May. Nest is cup shaped and is relatively open.Lays 2 eggs.[3]

Habitat and conservation status

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Its habitat is in tropical moist primary and secondary forest and forest edge both in the lowlands to montane areas up to 1,800 meters above sea level.[4]

IUCN has assessed this bird as a least-concern species. However, it is said to be already extinct on Guimaras and possibly extinct on Masbate and Ticao Island owing to massive deforestation on those islands. [5]

References

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  1. ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Rhipidura albiventris". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016. IUCN: e.T103707879A104309606. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T103707879A104309606.en. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  2. ^ "Visayan Fantail". Ebird.
  3. ^ del Hoyo, Josep; Collar, Nigel; Christie, David (2020). "Visayan Fantail (Rhipidura albiventris), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.visfan1.01species_shared.bow.project_name. ISSN 2771-3105.
  4. ^ Allen, Desmond (2020). Birds of the Philippines. Barcelona: Lynx and Birdlife International Guides. pp. 246–247.
  5. ^ International), BirdLife International (BirdLife (2016-10-01). "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Rhipidura albiventris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  • Sánchez-González, L.A., and R.G. Moyle. 2011. Molecular systematic and species limits in the Philippine fantails (Aves: Rhipidura). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 61: 290–299.
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