Malacopteron palawanense

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	PASSERIFORMES	TIMALIIDAE

Scientific Name:

Malacopteron palawanense

Species Authority:

Büttikofer, 1895

Common Name/s:

English

–

Melodious Babbler

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Near Threatened ver 3.1

Year Published:

2012

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S. & Symes, A.

Contributor/s:

Justification:
This species is considered Near Threatened as it has a moderately small global range and population size, and is suspected to be declining as a result of habitat loss. It remains fairly common in suitable habitats, and may be tolerant of secondary habitats suggesting that it is not at imminent risk. However, further data on its habitat requirements are urgently needed.

History:

2008	–	Near Threatened
2004	–	Near Threatened
1996	–	Endangered
1994	–	Endangered

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Malacopteron palawanense is endemic to Palawan and Balabac in the Philippines, with records on Palawan (including from Tanabag, Iwahig Penal Colony and Puerto Princesa), Inagauan, Quezon (including from Tabon and Bungalon), Taguso, Pulot, Brooke's Point, Singnapan, and adjacent areas. It is described as uncommon, although surveys in the 1990s found it to occur at good densities in remaining pockets of suitable habitat. It is apparently absent from St Paul's Subterranean River National Park, despite the presence of apparently suitable habitat, and currently the best protection appears to be afforded by the Iwahig Penal Colony.
Countries:	Native: Philippines
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is described as uncommon (del Hoyo et al. 2007).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This species occurs in primary and old secondary lowland evergreen forest, bamboo and forest edge. It may be an extreme lowland specialist, and its absence from apparently suitable areas in St Paul's Subterranean River National Park suggest that an unidentified habitat specialisation may influence its distribution. It is recorded most frequently in vine tangles within the middle and upper strata of low trees (del Hoyo et al. 2007).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

This species occurs in primary and old secondary lowland evergreen forest, bamboo and forest edge. It may be an extreme lowland specialist, and its absence from apparently suitable areas in St Paul's Subterranean River National Park suggest that an unidentified habitat specialisation may influence its distribution. It is recorded most frequently in vine tangles within the middle and upper strata of low trees (del Hoyo et al. 2007).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Lowland forest loss, degradation and fragmentation are the major threats. Deforestation in lowland Palawan has been extensive and logging and mining concessions have been granted for almost all remaining forests on the island. Illegal logging is thought to persist in the remaining extensive forest of the south. Forest at Iwahig Penal Colony, a key site, may be threatened by plans to mine chromite.

Major Threat(s):

Lowland forest loss, degradation and fragmentation are the major threats. Deforestation in lowland Palawan has been extensive and logging and mining concessions have been granted for almost all remaining forests on the island. Illegal logging is thought to persist in the remaining extensive forest of the south. Forest at Iwahig Penal Colony, a key site, may be threatened by plans to mine chromite.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway Conservation Actions Proposed Conduct repeated surveys within the range to determine current distribution and abundance, as well as assess population trends and rates of habitat loss. Conduct ecological studies to improve understanding of its precise habitat requirements, tolerance of secondary habitats and response to fragmentation. Campaign for the protection of remaining tracts of lowland woodland on Palawan.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway

Conservation Actions Proposed
Conduct repeated surveys within the range to determine current distribution and abundance, as well as assess population trends and rates of habitat loss. Conduct ecological studies to improve understanding of its precise habitat requirements, tolerance of secondary habitats and response to fragmentation. Campaign for the protection of remaining tracts of lowland woodland on Palawan.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2012. Malacopteron palawanense. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 22 May 2013.
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