Eiding^SlA 3 (2005):4l -49

AS'ANENIGMAS "Lost"and poorlyknown : top targets for birdersin Asia s' )tlLl{rTCHAftT,N.J.Cotll& |yLJ.CROS8Y&J.^.TO0 S

The rediscovery of Cebu Flowerpecket Dica.eum 1987). Similarly, Jerdon's Courser RhtnoptiLus quadrialot by Rob Timmins and others in 1992 bitorquntus (Plate2) was rediscoveredin 1986in on the Philippine island of Cebu (Dutson er aI. Andhra Pradesh,India, following a coordinated 1993), was an extraordinaryevent. The had campaign led by the Bombay Natural History not been seenfor 86 yea$, and had been written Society, with 86 years-like the Cebu off as extinct at least 40 yearsearlier on the pre- nowerpecker-without a record (Bhushan1986). sumption that no forest rcmained on the island Most recently,in February2005, Ben Kiry (in litt. (see Collar 1998; also Magsalayet al. 1995). Six 2005) and Julian Donahue rcdiscoveredRusty' years later, Jon tuley and Jim wardill finally throated wren Babbler Speldeomis badegutqrts tracked down rhe lont-tailed blue flycatcherthey (Plate3) about 50 km from where the type speci' had been searchingfor on-and-off for four yean men was collectedin 1947(in the Mishmi Hills of on the Indonesian island of Sangihe (Riley & easternArunachal Pradesh, India), the only previ- Wadill 2001). In doing so, ihey put Caerulean ous recordof this species. Paradise-flycatcherEarichomyias rovleyi (Plate 1) There are in fact a remarkable number of Asian firmly back on the ornithologicalmap. lt had pre- speciesthat werc collected in the nineteenth or viously been known only from an 1878 type- early twentieth centuries,and then not recorded specimenand a belatedlypublished sitht recordin for many decadesbefore being rediscovered, or at 1978, and had been presumedextinct following leastre-seen, as modem birdwatchingtook hold in fruitless searchesin 1985-1986 (Whitten et al. the region.Examples include: ForestOwlet Athene

Pfata l. Caerufean Paladise-nycatche(Eu?tichonryias.owleyi

R J = Pfata 3, Rusty-throatedwren.-habblet sNoeomis badeigulotis Pf.t. 2. Jerdon'sCou6er Rhinootilusbnorcuotut "Lost'andpoorly known birds:top ta.gets for birder5in Asia l)J,'Lr'[ri(last collected 1884, rediscovered1997); basedon the updatedfactsheets already available l).lmar FlvcatcherFiceduLa henrict 0ast collecled at www.birdlife.org. 1s98, next seen a8ain 2001); white-tipped Vonarch Monorcfta everettt (last collected 1927, NORTHERI{ASIA next seenagain 1993);Black-chinned Monarch M l)oareasis(collected 19t8, next seenagain 1991); Crested fodorno cfistdta Sangihe shrike-thrush C.o\uririncln sanghirensis Critically Endantered-Plate 4. This species is (collected 1878, next seen again 1985); White- known from a small number of records from browed Nuthatch Sttta victoriae flast rccorded Primorye in Russia,Hokkaido in Japan (a single 1938, next seen again 1995); SangiheWhite-eye nineteenthcentury record) and south Korea.The Zosterops nehrkomi (collected 1886, next seen last sighting was of a male and two females in a6ain 1996); and Rufous-throated white-eye May l9g on islandssouth of Vladivostok,Russia. Mo.dangaruftcollis (collected 1922, next seen atain A sightint of two males and four females was 1995) (Birdlife Intemational 2001,Ttainor 2002). claimedin Nonh Koreain March 1971,but serious In most of thesecases the "rediscovery"was main- reseryationshav€ recently been expressedabout ly just a matter of re-visitinga remote island, but the reliability of this record.There have also been sometimes-as in the casesof Jerdon's Courser several unconfirmed records from nonh-east and ForestOwlet-the event is only the rcsult of China, in Heiloryiiant, Jilin, Liaoning and Hebei. considerableinitiative and endeavour. Searchesare needed in wetlands (including forest Rediscoverint one of Asia's "lost" species rivers) in easternRussia, Nonb Koreaand north- must be in many birders'dreams. Fourteensuch easternChina. birds ripe for rediscovery,some of which remain unseenfor over 150 yea$, are highlightedbelow. Vauriel Nightjar Coprimutguscentralasicus we outline in each case the histodcal range, Data Deficient.This speciesis known from a sin- detailsof the last sighting,and priodties for future gle record in Xinjiang, w€stern China. Several searches.Birders tend to visit the same popular recentsurveys of the type-localityand other simi- birding sites,but we stronglyencourage people to lar sitesin this regionhave failed to locateit, indi- venlure into less known lerritory in order to track catinS that it is scarceand presumablylocalised. down someof theseexcitint and enignatic birds. The type-specimenwas collectedin sandy scrub- Such searches are prerequisites for their iunde at 1,220 m, and it presumably occuE in conservation. desen and semi-desenhabitats. However, there In addition, there are a number of speciesso has beenwidespread degradation of thesehabitats poorly known we cannot even classifytheir con- in the Taklimakan Desen through the intensive servation status. Such speciesare placed in the grazing of goats and camels, extraction of fuel- Data Deficient category on the IUCN Red List wood, and the conversionof huge areasto irrigat- (lUcN 2001).This appliesin caseswhere there is ed farmland. In 1990, the habitats at the type- insufficientinformation to make a direct. or indi locality, Guma, were found to have been greatly rect, assessmentof risk, Generallywe altered since the 1920s.Funher searchesare need- would not expect these speciesto prcve to be ed throughout the area. Cleere (1998) suggested threatened,but more informationis neededto per- that the specimenmay actuallybe an immatue of mit an adequateassessment. Here we list ten such the subspecies of Eurasian Nightjar C. eurcWau:; speciesfrom the region for which birders' records which breedsin xinjiang, so funher work is also could significantlyimprcve our understandint of neededto determineits taxonomicstatus. their ranges,habitats and threats,and hencehelp clarify their conservationstatus. silleml Mountain Finch Leucostictesillemi The information below largely derives from Data Deficient.This speciesis known only from the detailedaccounts (\ 'ith point-localitymaps) in two specimens collected in 1929 on a baren in Threatmed birds of Asia (Birdlife Intemational plateau at 5,125 m in southern Xinjiang 2001;available online at www.rdb.or.id) and the Aulonomous Re8ion, China (in an area under globaf summary factsheets irL Threatercd. birds of Chinese administration but also claimed by lndia). Ilv u,orld2OU (Birdlife International2004; regu- Its population is unknown, but it is presumably larh' updatedonline at www.birdlife.org).Readers localised and scarce.one of the birds collected .rre directed to these sources for more detailed was a juvenile with wings not yet fully grown, and rniormation and citations to original sources of the collector consideredthat the birds had either rnl,rrmarion.The IUCNRed List categoriestiven bred closeto wherc they were collectedor on the rtlorv come from the 2005 IUCN Red List. which nearbypeaks in the Kunlun Shanrange. lt is prob- ',rll he releasedin autumn 2005, and which is ably residentat the typelocality, as the adult col- EidingASlA3 (2005)

lected was in full moult in SeptemberNo threals prior to 1932,althoLrgh tht'rc r!crc Lrnctrniirnted are known and there are unlikely to be any in the reponsof five at Nangain rhe l99t)s iBirljlilt' rcmote area from which it is known, but further International2001) and oi .1 p.rir r('|ofleri b\ r searchesare need to clarify its status and guidein Dibru-Saikhowawildliie S.rncrLr.rr\.IDdii. distribution. in March1998 (Allen 1998a)-.ind in thc pastiirt' yearsin DeobaliJalah, central Ass.rm lP.rtar .r rrl. SOUTHASIA 2004).Searches are needed in grassl.]|dsin nonh eastIndia and Bangladesh,in parlicularfollo\\'ing Pink-headed Duck Rhodonessacaryophyllocea up repons by local peopleat Thoubal and Loktak. critically EndangeredfPossibly Extinc0-Plate 6. Manipur,in November-December2000 (Kaulea ir1. This striking duck was locally distributed in the 2001J.Surveys should be conductedin April-Md\'. wetlandsof India, Bangladeshand Myanmar,and when grasslandsare burnt, or in October occurredrarely in Nepal, with most recordsfrom November, when paddyfields are harvested, as nonh-eastIndia and adjacentBangladesh. Recent birds are likely to be mosl visibleduring theseperi- claimsirl north-eastIndia werethe resultof con- ods (Kauler cl. 2001). fusion with Red-crestedPochard Nettc ru/ind. It was alwavs considereduncommon or rare and Himalayan Ophrysio supercilioso was last seenin the wild in 1949,surviving until criticallyEndangered. This speciesis known only around the sametime in captivity.It may have fromthe westernHimalayas in Uttaranchal,north- beendriven extinct by a combinationof hunting westIndia. where about d dozenspecimens were and habitatloss, but hopesremain that it may be collected near Mussooreeand Naini Tal up to rediscoveredin remote wetlands in northern 1876. Field observations during the mid- Myanmar.lndeed, in November2004 there was a nineteenthcentury suggestthat it may have been possiblesightin8 of a Pink-headedDuck seen in relativelycommon, but within two decadesit was flight in Kachin state,but the views were not good certainlyrare, potentially indicating a population enough to eliminate Spot-billedDuck Anas poe- declineowing to huntingand habitatdegradation. cilorhyncha of the subspecieszonorhyncha; fur- The lastrecord was of two at 2,100m on the east- ther surveysare plannedfor November2005 (J. C. ernslopes of Sherkadanda,Naini Tal, in December Eamesin liu. 2004).other searchesare neededin 1876.A numberof searchessince then have failed north-eastIndia, panicularly in Assamand Bihar to produceany records[including an OBC-funded team led by Rajiv Kalsi in U[ar Pradesh and Nicobar 5parrowhawk Accipterbutleri HimachalPradesh in 2002-2003),but the species Vulnerable.This speciesis endemicto the Nicobar may be difficult to detect [favouring densegrass Islands,India, whereil is onlv known with cer' and being reluctantto fly). There were uncon- taintyfrom Car Nicobar and Katchall, with no con- firmed reports of five siShtings in November- firmedrecords since 1901. Specimens from Great December2003 near Naini Tal ("Y Arafat" in litr. Nicobarand Camortahave proved to referto Besra 2004).Searches are neededin montaneSrasslands A. virgatus, throwinB into doubt recent sight and forest, in particular around Naini Tal and in records from those islands and from Bompoka, the BinogSanctuary-Bhadraj-Jharipani area. Teressa,Pilu Milu and Little Nicobar. Searches should primarily be focused in forest on Car NicobarScops Owl Otusalius Nicobarand Kalchall,although the speciesshould Data Deficient. This speciesis known from two also be looked for on other islands.Great care is specimenscollected in 1966and 1977at Campbell clearlyrequired in distinguishingthis speciesfrcm Bay on Great Nicobar,the largesl of the Nicobar Besra. Islands,India. A bird was also nettedand pho- tographedby BandanaAul and S. P. Vijayakumar Manipur Bush Quail Perdiculomanipurensis in March 2003orl TeressaIsland (P.C. Rasmussen Vulnerable.This speciesis endemic to northern lrt litt. 2005).The paratypewas found in coastal West Bental, Assam, Nataland, Manipur and forest(presumably at sealevel)c.l km from rhe Meghalaya,nonh-east India; previously its range shore.Virtually nothing is known of the speciess apparently extended into Chittagong,Chittagont ecologyor possiblethreats, and furtherfieldrvork Hill Tractsand Sylhetdistricts, BanSladesh. It was is needed. historically describedas local, but not very rare, althougheven by the 1930sit was documentedas declining in Manipur owing to pressureson its dampgrassland habitat- The last confirmedrecords were of specimenstaken in the Manipur valley 'Lost dnd poor y known birdertoptarlJett for birders n Asia

Plat€4. Crested Sheldu.k Iodoaa (nstota

MAINTANDSOUTH.EAST ASIA cllin .rDLIthfo.ll, \\'hrtc.sl\)llcr]nt.lnllc, saitIul.lrs, (11)|('f\\'irrtcLr!erts. Lrrr(lr'r l,lll covcrls .rnd t.ril, White-eyecfRiver Mart in Euto.helidon Nhllc l).rrroLlrenrigts. .rnd lrr'oir.rlrl\. rctl or or.rnge stfittoroe lcgs.rrrdbill Il.rrlof N \.It l)erl()l.),),.r. Criticillr Eld.tlrHfre(ll'lJte 5. lhe extr.lordill.]|v rlisco\'cri oi this sl)r'ciL.s,iollorvt'd Lrt ils IL'f|[,\ Jdvdner€'Lapwing V4||tIIut tita(taptctu.. inU .rnd .rI nlost inrd)(.di.llcdis.rppearlnce, rcp|r..- Critic.rlly tnd.rngerr\l (l\)ssibl\ L\tirrctJ. Ihis sents orc oi lltc nrosl It'rDlrkableepisoLlcs itl sIfc1r)s1s kno\vrt with cefl,linlvonlv l()l]] J.1vi, Asi.rn ornitholog\. It \!.1sdiscover('d in l96ti. itt ol l (l()Dcsi.r,\\'here it inh.rlrila(i ).trst)(,s. trl nver nenr Bung ltor.rphr'll.rkr', nedr the lown ol (lclt.lsi ll)a\\'est (on lhe noflll (o.rsl). ld tllec.tsl \akllon SJ\v.1nin cr.nrr.rlTh.ril.tnd. lt is knoNrl ton lllr south co.rstl.,,\sL)ecinrcn.l|rrl l\\'o eggs liolrr l- -l'L',rI'r'. ., r\lr'.1.tltutlLl-l tr" -1. ,'l aollr'aledin lhe inctccntlt afnluf\ I]],1\ h.tve \.Ilr'r t8lt.t.||.(l]1r, .'\\'tll ft.trnt.t..L,t Ill.ltj\ |ll'rl' dL.rivcdironr Sllm.llf.r..r)d lltelr' is.ul cl.lnl th.1til sold i11locil I]r.rfkors),o c iield obsef\.triolt. o.runL'rlLrn limof l.I lcJsl lllrr'r'sl)f.int!'nsl. Il BunS Uof.rph.r il] 19:S (rhe ldsl coniifl]]c(j N.rsriascrilrcd ns locJl itnd unaontntolt..tpl,trr,nl recodJ,.lD(ltNo Lr)coniirDrcdrepofts, lhc lJst ()l l\ oDl\ e!ef cncouDlerr\iin sc,rllc[,dp.llfs, .tnd t!hich $as irr l{)8() Ihr'l,rckoi reli.tblorecorris iol l)rcsunt.rbl\ rcsponded Lr.r(il\lo r\tensl\c It.thilill ovcr 25 \'cifs sLrllflL.ststh.rt il ntav hat'e'undcrgollc (lcgr.rd.rlioD.rnd deslrLrctioILpcrlt.rps cornpound .l declinL',IL,rh.rl)s.rs.l resull ot h.tbi1.ttdegr.td.t ('(l hv hLrrling. Ihel.rstrerot(l N,.tsoi l\\,o r.ggscol- tioD .rnd dr.slfuclioD .rt thc (rrnkno!\,n) hfr'(.(ling lectr\l in -,Llne 1940 .rt ll)r' Cit. unl dL'ltit neitr .rrc.rsiD(1 on !\'irlr'fiDg grou0ris, ex.tcefir. ed b\ .1.rk.l|t.r lhe i.rcl lh.ll it \vits r0|utr\jlr intIossiblr. hunting .rn(ltrJl)piDil .tt toostsites. Selrcht's .trc to ovL.rlooksuggcsts verv sltonill\' llt,I ll is nLl neededin riverirrcIr.ri)ir.rts (pfesunted iront its t.rr l{rDgcr preselll .11.rn\ sitf studitti irt rccent r)nonric.lllinilitsl i llt.til,tnJ.\1\.ItIn.tr. [-.]os, tjcc.rtits br ofnithologlsrs, inri iDrir'&i th. il is Crnrb.ldi.r.lnrl soLrhcrn Chin.l. \\'hit(' r'\'cd Ri\ cl Lrrllikr.l\ k) sLrr|i!e .lt .rll. llo\\'arcr, tltatc NL'fe rl.rrlin h.rslo lJkr,th. Irizr,.ts thc most (iesir.thlL, unfoniirl]leri feporls irol]l l.ItjL|l]il i\if In!'.tr Asi.1nLrird ro feriis.()\crl

INDONE5IA

'rnrpe s Rail6allirallus shorpei l).ll.r [)flicir'nt. Ihis is |!.rh.rps lhe lDost nlvstr,fi trrrsAsiin specios.lr is known onl) irom the t!'pi.. :Ifrinrcn dr,sffl[)cr]bv lliittikoief in I89-l .tnd no .lft.rli ol ils orilliD.rfakno\vn, bLlt it is specLll.llr'(l 'rr.ir rt [].r\ h.r!r'a()rrf iI1)rtthe Cfeitef Sund.ts. .:': f:r.r. li rriafsllt|1lugh()llt tht' re;iionshoLrlLi r :lrf .,,oli(rrLt lof lllis sIecir,s,\rhich is sinli - . ,r:r,jrrl||rh()liJg\ lo Buii b.rnderlR.lil t; : .. ,ul ,.llr lrc tlisringuishedtrv its l)tc ' .: ,,\r:t.ll l)l.t.k gre\' ltc.td. ltlunlJge, Pf.te 5. Whire eyed Rive( MatI n Eurccheltdan ,.nt a tae BirdingAslA3 (2005) 4s

Nusa Ten8gara,Indonesia. Most records are ot specimenscollected in the late nineteenthor early twentieth centuries,and recentobservations com- prise one photographedindividual (probably of this species) on Seram, and one obseryed on Yamdena.It is probablyoften overlookedand con sequentlyalmost certainly more widespreadalrd numerous than available records suggest. Nevenheless,it occurs in primary and selectively loggedlowland evergreenforest, a habitat that is being rapidly clearedfrom islandswithin its range by loSters and shifting cultivators. One collector was broutht two live birds caughtin holesin lime- type should Pfate 6. The fast ten Pink-headed Ouak RhodonessocoryoplryL stone cliffs on Buru, and this habitat /ocedexported from Indiain 1929.Black&white photo cour_ be revisited and searched for the species. tesy ofRaymond Sawyer,hand_coloured bylohn Bass. Informationon the cuffent status,distribution and habitat requirementsis needed. Muara Gembong)in Februaryand April 2004,and Bood habitat still remains here (Rudyantoin li,t. siau Scopsowl otu5 siooenstrs 2004). This site needs surveying urtently, and Critically Endangered-Plate7. This speciesis only other coastalwetlands and Srasslandsshould be known frorn the holotype collectedon the island searchedon Java and elsewherein the Greater of Siau, north of Sulawesi,tndonesia, in 1866, Sundas. having languishedin obscurityuntil resurrectedas a full species in 1998 (Lambert & Rasmussen Silvery Pigeon Columbo argentina 1998).Just 50 ha of forestremain on Siau, all Critically Endangered.This species is a small- above800 m on GunungTamata. Since its descdp- island specialist,known from islandsoff Sumatra, tion, searchesfor the owl have apparently only Indonesia (e.9. Simeulue,Mentawi lslaDds,Riau been carried out for a few nights in Autust and and Linggaarchipelagos), and off the west coastof Sarawak, Malaysia and Kalimantan, Indonesia (e.8. the Karimataand Natuna Islands,including Burong).There is one confirmedrecord each from mainland Sumatra and Kalimantan.Formerly Iocally comrnon,it may have declinedthrough the impacts of introduced mammals, logging and hunting. The last confirmed recordwas in 1931at Pulau Curungan Besar, Karimata Islands, west Borneo. There are recent unconfirmed records from Padang-SugihanWildlife Reserve, South Sumatra.in 1984and 1985(Nash & Nash1985), Sembilang River, South Sumatra, where "large numbers" were seen in March 1989 (Verheugtet al. 1993),Padang-SuSihan wildlife Reserve,South Sumatra,in November1999 (lqbal in press),and Pulau Talan8Besar, west Borneo.in September 2001 fwilson 2004). However, none of these records completely eliminates the possibility of confusion with the very similar Pied lmperial Pigeon Duculo brcolor.Searches at these sites to confirm the identity of the birds involved are a high priority, as are surveysof the west Sumalran islandsand the Riau and LinggaarchipelaSos. P LesserMasked Owl Tyto sororculq Data Deficient.This owl is known from the island of Buru fand probably Seram) in South Maluku, and Yamdenaand Larat in the Tanimbar group, Plate7.siau Scops Owl Otu5 5iooeltsir '16 Lost"andpoorly known birds:top targets tor birdersin Asia

Ocrober1998. The bird may conceivablyalso sur- 1937),Indonesia, and from Brunei,where single \'ive elsewhereon the islandin plantationsand birds were seenon five occasionsin 1992in Batu scrub,as congenerssuch as Sangihe Scops Owl O. Apoi National Park, in lowland dipterocarpforest coll4ri tolerate such habitats. EncouraSingly,vil- at c.60m [Williams2002). It is unusualfor bul- lagers are reportedly familiar with at least two buls to be widespreadbut to occur at such low speciesof owl (Brown Hawk Owl Ntnox scutulata densities,so lhis form may representan extreme- .rlso occurs). A WCS/PALSproject has been ly rare morph of another speciesor else a , planned for sometime (J. C. Wardill ln lltl. 2003), although it could be a genuinelyrare habitat spe- drd searchesshould concentrateon the montane cialist (Williams 2002). While further taxonomic forest on Siau, followed by other habitats on the investigationis clearlyneeded, birders should look island,and smallerislands in the group. out for this taxon in lowland habitats in Borneo and Sumatra. Black-browed Babbler Malococinclo pe6picillatd Banggai Crow Corvusunicolor Vulnerable.This specieshas been unrecordedfor Critically Endantered. This small crow is only lorlgerthan aoy other bird in Asia. It is known by known from two specimenstaken on an unspeci- a sin8le specimendating from between 1843and fied islandin the Banggaiarchipelago, immediately 1848.The localityis uncertain,but it is mostlike- east of Sulawesi,Indonesia, in 1884-1885.The ly to be around Martapura (or, slightly lesslikely, speciesmay have declined severely,as the last Banjarmasin)from SouthKalimantan, Indonesia. remaining areas of intact rainforest on Banggai The taxon was previously considereda race of island had begun to be selectivelylo88ed in l99l Horsfield'sBabbler M. (Tichastoma)sepiaium or (lndrawanet al. 1993),and it may have been out- conspecific with the recently discredited competedby Slender-billedCrow C. erca in dis- Vanderbilts BabblerM. (Tttchestoma\vanderbtlti, turbedlowland habitats. In l99l and 1996,visits to but it is now considered a valid species the island group yielded no unequivocalrecords. (Hoogerwerf1966, Mees 19951.Searches are Crows the size of Slender-billed(which occurson requiredin any remainin8areas of lowland forest neighbourin8Sulawesi and the Sula Islands)were in SouthKalimantan, staning with PleihariTanah seenat six localitiesduring thesevisits, with only Laut, where some suitablehabitat may remain, one sightingof a smallercrow, perhaps this species, even though most has been severelydegraded. in mossy forest at 660 m at the western end of Pelengin Novemberl99l (lndrawan et al. 1997). Rue(k's Efue Ffy(at cher Cyonis ruckii Further searches are urtently needed on the Critically Endangered.This enigmaticflycatcher is Bantgaigroup and more widely in the SulaIslands, knownfrom two specimenscollected in April 1917 stanint with mossy forest on Peleng.Mist-netting .rnd February 1918,at Thntun8anand Delitua in and recordingsof vocalisationswould help to con- lhe lowlandsof nonhernSumatra, Indonesia. Two firm identificarions. further specimensare purportedly from Malaysia, bul their provenancehas been questioned.The PHILIPPINES speciesmust have always been very rare or local, given the failure of all but one collectorto obtain Luzon or Brown-banded Rail Rallusmhificus specimens.No forestremains in the vicinity of the Data Deficient.This speciesis known from Luzon two known collecting localities, so it may have and Samarin the Philippines,to which it mightbe declinedseverely as a resultof habitatdestruction. -lhe endemic, although breedin6 there has not been specimenswere collected in "exploited for- confirmed.The maiority of recordsderive from the est",hintint at a toleranceto somedegree of habi- migration funnel and bird-catchingsite of Dalton lrt degradation.Searches are neededin lowland Pass on Luzon, where over 200 were recorded lorest in northern Sumatra (e.8. the Besitang between 1965 and 1970, suggestingthat the reSionof Leuserand in Aceh);they should be speciesmay persist in rcasonablenumbers, and rinred rr January-Aprilas the specimensmay that it is mi8ratory. Althou8h breeding and non- h.rve representednon-breeding migrants from an breeding areasare uncertain, these recordsinfer rrnknorvnbreeding population further north. movementseither betweenthe Cagayanvalley and Luzon's central plain, or between the Cordillera BI ue-wattled Bulbul Pycnonotusnieuwenhuisii Centraland the SierraMadre mountains;if the for- l).rt.1Deficient. This obscure laxon is known from mer is true, the recordsfrom southernLuzon and r(,nh e.lstK.rlimanlan (one specimen collected at Samar may relate to overshooting migrants. In ' rir nr in I900) and Sumatra(one specimen col- Januarv 2001. an individual was observedin ,.:.J in sr'condarYscrub in paslureat 700m in degradedcloud-forest at 2,240m on Mount Data, SldlngA!|A 3 (2ms)

Luzon. The bird was heard to call (a frogJike recent discovery on Panay of threatenedspecies acceleratingseries of clickinBnotes), and the same which were previously thoutht to be restricledto call was heard in cloud-forest at 1,100 m on Negros (e.9. Negros Bleedin8-heartccllicolurrl)o Mayon Volcanoin southern Luzon (Dinets 2001). keayi ar,d,white-throated Jungle Flycatcher Although it has been speculatedthat it has strict Rhinomyi1salbigulans), suggests that searcheson habitat requirements,if these are similar to its Panaywould also be very worthwhile, especiall), contener (and possibly conspecific)Lewin's Rail in the lowest-lyingdipterocarp forest. L. pectoralis (of Australasia and eastern Indonesia),it may proveto be rathercosmopolitan Worcester'sor Luzon Buttonquail furnix in its preferences,as implied by the few docu- worcesteri menteddelails: cloud-forest,near pine forest,and Data Deficient.This speciesis known from just six in a small undisturbed verside swamp, from localitieson the island of Luzon in the Philippines. 550-2,250m. Surveysto improve our knowledte Virtually all records have derived from bird- of this bird, in particular its distribution and habi- catchers and are assumed to be intra-island tat requircments,are needed. migrants.The limited availableevidence suggests that it breeds somewherein nonhern Luzon in Sufu Bfeeding-heart Gollicolumbamenagei April-June and that at least some birds disperse Critically Endangered.This speciesis endemic to southwards in the period July-March. Thus its the Sulu archipelato in the Philippines. It is true range and habitat remain obscure.It appears known by iust two specimenstaken on Tawi-tawi to be rare, and may be confined to gasslands in in 1891,when it was describedas extremelyrare. the highlands of the Cordillera Central, ahhouth It is likely to have declinedsince, owing to exten- recordsare from 150-1,250m, and the possibility sive loggingand ,compounded that it frcquentsforested (non-grassland) habitats by hunting and trapping.The only evidenceof its cannotbe discounted.However, buttonquails are a continued existence derives from unconfirmed notoriously cryptic and unobtrusive family of local repons in 1995from Tawi-tawiand the near- birds, and the speciescould conceivablyoccur in by islands of Siasi, Tandubatu, Dundangan, reasonablenumbers somewhere. Baliungan and Simunul. These claim that the specieswas quite abundantbefore the 1970s,but whiteheadl Swiftfet cotlocaIid whiteheadi had declineddramatically and is now only rarely Data Deficient. This species is endemic to the seen. Despite apparently being well'forested, Philippines, where it is known from only four Tandubatu, Dundangan and Baliungan have a mountains,one on Luzon (nominate whiteheadi) total area of 17 km', and are thought unlikely to and three on Mindanao (raceonienis). On Luzon, support viable populations. Searchescar ed out it was collectedon Mt Data in 1895,but has not on Thwi-tawi in 1995-1999 were unsuccessful been recordedthere subsequently.On Mindanao, fAllen 1998b,1999), but further fieldwork is need- it is known from Mt Apo in 1904 and Mts ed, in particular in the central massif (where it Kitangladand Matutum in the 1990s,with speci- could have been missed) and in the nonh-east mens taken recently at an unnamed locality in around l.anguyan,which has yet to be searched South Cotabato (the same province as Mt (D. Allen in ltrr.2005). Matutum). Its numbers are entirely unknown, panly due to its apparentpreference for relatively Negros Ptilinopus qrcdnus inaccessibleareas and panly due to identification Critically Endangeled.This speciesis endemic to difficulties,even with birds in the hand. Observers the Philippines,where it is known only by a sintle should look for the pale-frosted lores, large- female specimencollected on Mount Canlaonon headed appearanceand deeply forked tail the island of Negos in 1953.No subsequentfield- (Chanller2000). workers on the island have encountered the species,and it may havedeclined owing to a com- Miniature Tit Babblet Mioomacronus leytensis bination of hunting and extensivehabitat destruc- Data Deficient-Plate8. This speciesis endemicto tion [the type-specimenwas takenat I,090-1,120 the Philippines,where it is known from c.l0 wide- m, but this may havebeen at the upper limit of the ly spread localities on the islands of Mindanao, species).There was an unconfirmedreport in 2002 Samar,Le!.te and possiblyBiliran. lt appearsto be by a local guide at CanawayForest, inland ftom a rare inhabitant of forest and forest edge, from Siaton in southern Negros (R. Hutchinson, A. 500 to 1,670 m (generallyabove 1,000 m). Adcock and S. woods in litt. 2003). Funher However,it is tiny-one of the world's smallest searcheson Negros, concentrating initially on -and unobtrusive, and it may prove Mount Canlaon, are needed- In addition, the more common and widespreadthan current evi- "Lost"andpoorly known birds:top targets for birdersin Asia

[email protected]),and the BP Conservation Programme (see http://conservation.bp.com)to name the most obvious. Bidlife lnternationalis responsiblefor collat- ing information and assessingthe statusof all the world's birds for the IUCN RedList. we would be pleasedto hear of the results of any searchesfor these or any other threatened species [please email the senior author at the addressbelow). Ne8ative information is also useful, but we are certain that at least some of thesespecies will be successfullyrediscovered in the next few years. We ea8erlyawait such news.

Acknowledgements we thank the thousands of birdwatchers and ornithologists who contributed information to Threatefted bird.s of Asia a\d Threotened btrds of the uord 2004 ar\dwho are acknowledgedfully in those publications. Thanks also to Des Allen, Jonathan Eames,Pam Rasmussen,Rudyanto and Jim wardill for respondingto queriesand provid- ing useful information.

= References Allen,D. (1998a) Report tothe Indian Forestry Service concerning the Amarpurarea of the Dibru-SaikhowaEiosphere Reserve. tJnpublished. Plate 8: Miniature Tit Babblet Mioomaoonus levtensis Allen,D(1998b)0nthebnd5 of Tawi Tawi province inthe Philippines. gull.Tturuni Univ. f5i7 f -154. Allen,D (1999)Tawi Tawi March 1999: a surveyrcport. Unpublished deoce suggests,particularly once its behaviour fep0rt. and habitat requirementsare better understood, Bhushan,8,(1986) Rediscovery of the Jerdon's or Double-banded and its vocalisationshave been recorded.In addi CowsetCutsuius bilotquotui (8lyth). l. &mbdy l'/ot Hi5r soa. 83: tion, pans of Mindanao have insurgency prob- t-14. Iems, prohibiting surveys,and little recent field- Bidlifelntemationaf Q(n1l Thrcotened bitdt of Asio:the thdLife work has been caried acrossmuch of its range, JnternotionolRed Doto Book. Canbtidge, U.K.: EidLife particularly on Samarand Leyte. Surveysin safe lnternational, (2001 areas fbirders can check with the Haribon ELdLifefntemationaf \ Ihredtehedbids of thewo d 2004.CD- Foundationfor advice on these) are neededhere ROM.Cambridge,U.K:EirdLife International. and throughoutthe rangeto clarify its status,eco- Chantler,P(2000) Slrifrr: o 9uide to thetwiftt ondteeswiftt of thewo d. logical requirementsand possiblethreats. 5econdedition. Robertsbridge. lJ.K: Press. CleeeN. (l 998)l'/ightbni o guide to thenightjdR dhd rcldted nightfirds. Rob€nsbridge,Pica Press. Afterword U.K: Collar,N. J. (1998) Extinction by assumption:or,the RomeoError on We hope that this article will stimulatebirders to Cebu.Oryx321239243. seek out thesespecies, and that such searcheswill oinets,V (2001)ornithological records from i-uzondufing cont bute to the conseryationof some of the January-February2001, including a der.riptionof thevoice of region'smost enigmaticbirds. Readersshould note LuzonRail Lewinio mhifi.u'2ienlol thd ClubBull.34:4q41 . that varioussources of fundingare available to sup- Dutron,G. C. 1., Magsalay, PM. & Timmins, R. J. (1993)The rediscovery of port theseactivities, e.g. OBC'SConservation Fund the CebuFlowerpecker Dirdeum quddricolor, with noteson other (see www.orientalbirdclub.orgfor rnore details), fo.estbirds on Cebu.PhiliDDiner. Eird ConseN, lntenotn. 3l the Royal Societyfor the Protectionof Birds and 235-243. British BirdwatchingFair researchfund for thrcat- Hoogerwe(A. (1966) Some notes on the genu5 ftchdJtorno esp€cial- ened species (contact [email protected]), ly on the validityof I Jep,?riunmimus (=Mdlacxincla sepiatio rhe British Ornithologists'Union's ornithological mlnof)from east Java and about the statusof L vondebll|land I researchgralts (see www.bou.org.uk),the Club /lberorefrom nonhern 5u m alta. Mitc. RE. Yonothinolnst. On. 4. 100 Foundationfor Bird Protection(email birdpro- 29+301. BirdingAslA3 (2005)

Ind|awan,M,, fujita, M. S., Marala, Y& Pesikt. (1993) Status and conser' Riley,J. & Wadill,l.C. (2C{1)The fediscovery of Cerulean Paladite vationof Sula Scrubfowl (l4egdpodiur b€l'rftiri, Schlegel1866) in filcatchetEuttkhonyiot todeyi on Sangihelndonesia. Fortld;/ Banggailrlandt, Sulawesi. Irop i.ol Biodive\ity 1(2l,t113-130. 17:45-55. lnd6wan,M'Masala,Y&Pesik L,(1997) Recent bird observationtfrom Tayfor,8 & vanPedo, B. (1998) RaiB: d guideto theoilt, crcket,golltnules the8an99ai lslands. (uki,h 9:61-70. onalc@ttofthe wotd.Robertsb dge, U.K: Pica Prcss. lqbal,M. (in prcssl New and notewonhy bird recods frcm sumatra, Trainor,C.(2002)An expedition to Damarlsland, south-west ^,laluku, lndonesia.Fo*loil 21 . lndonesia.Oientolthd Club8u[ 36118-23. IUCN(200l) /UCl'/Red Litt cotegoietond uiteio. vetsion3.1. Verheugt,WJ. M., Skov H., 0aniels€n, l, Suwarman, u.,Kadarisman, R.& CambridgeUK and Gland, Switze and: IUCN Spe(ies Suryival PuMoko,A. (1993) Notes on thebidr ofthetidal lowlands and Commirsion. floodplainsofSouth Sumatra province, Indonesla. K/lilo 6: 53 84. Kaul,R.,Khaling, S.,Ghos€,D.,Khan, S.&Bhaftachaiee, J.(2CO1) Suryey whitten,A.l.,8isho0 K. D, Nash, S.V & Clayton,L (1987)one or more forManipur Bu5h Quail and HumeSPheasant in nonh-east India. extindionsfrom Sulawesi, Indoneria? CorJery. 8iol. I | 42-4& lJnoublithedrcoon. WilliamtR. S. R. (2m2) The redis{overy and doubtful validity of the Lamber!F.R. & Rarmussen,P.C. (1 998) A newscops owl from Sangihe Bfue-wattledBulbuf rycnonotut nieuwenhuisii. Fotktoil 181 lsland,lndoneria. 8u/l &it 0n , Club11812fJ4-.217 . 107-109. Magsalay,P"&ook, l, Dut5on,G. & Timmins,R.(1995) Extinction and Wikon,KJ, (2004) A provisionalsighting of the silvery Pigeon on the conseruationon Cebu./Voture 373: 294. TalangTalang lrlandr, Sarawa& Malaysia. 8idir9Asli{ I : 55-57. MeesG. F.(1995) O^ Mdla.&inclovondebilti de Schauenseeand Rlpley, and Molocuinclo p€rqi(,/lofo (Bonaparte){Aves, Stuaft Butchart, Nigel Collot, Mike Crosby ond Iimalildael.Prcc. Xor. rved. i4kdd. Wetenth.9S:63-{f. Joe Tobios, BitdLife lntemotionol, Wellbrook Court, Nash,S.V.& Nash, A. D. (1985) A checklirtofthe fofest and forestrdge Gifton Road,Comb dge C83 qNA" UK birdrof the Padang-SugihanWildlife Reserue, South Sumatra. t t u o rt.bu tch o tt@b i rd Iif e.o r a Kukilo2t 51-59. Patar,PJ.,8orthakur, R.K.& Goswami,5. K(2004)Sighting ofspecies in RedData Book in DeobaliJalah, central As5am, India. Ivewtett r fotEitdwotdets 4415657 ,

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