Notes on Birds of the Philippines

Vol.19480S'l J LXNTAND Sxo•r, Birds of the Philippines 41 NOTES ON BIRDS OF THE PHILIPPINES BY KENTON C. LINT AND KEN $TOTT• JR. THE following notes were obtained during military assignmentin the Philippinesin 1945 and 1946, while the observerswere on leave of absencefrom the San Diego ZoologicalSociety. The Field Artillery Battalion to which Lint was attached was stationed for the longest periodson the islandsof Leyte and Samar, and the majority of his observations were made in those areas. The itinerary followed by the naval epidemiologyunit of which Stott was a member included most of the larger islandsof the archipelago. However, sincethe greater part of his Philippine sojourn was divided between the area around Guiuan, Samar, and the Zamboanga Peninsula on Mindanao, the majority of his notes were recorded in those two regions. Reproducedhere are only those notes which either supplementin someway or do not concurwith material publishedpreviously. The nomenclaturefollowed is that of Delacour and Mayr (Birds of the Philippines, Macmillan, 1946). ARDEIDAE. Herons REEF HERON (Demigrettasacra).--Of the scoresof Reef Herons observed along the coasts of southern Samar during the months of June, July and August, 1945, all belongedto the white phasewith the exceptionof a pair of gray birds. Only one example of this species was encountered during three months on the Zamboanga Peninsula, Mindanao. It belongedto the gray phaseand was seenfeeding along the shore of the Sulu Sea near San Ram6n on October 26, 1945. CATTLEEORET (Bubulcus ibis coromandus).--Thisattractive little heron was found to be abundant throughout the lowlands of the ZamboangaPeninsula where it frequentedmarshy areasand followed free-ranging herds of domesticatedIndian buffaloes (Bubalus buba- Ils). A large nesting colony was discoveredin a marsh forest near San Roque, Mindanao, on August 23, 1945. The nests were con- structed in low spreadingtrees and were situated very closeto one another. Rtr•ovs NIGHTHERON ( Nycticoraxcaledonicus manillensis).--These birds sharedthe San Roque (Mindanao) rookerywith the preceding species. Nests of both specieswere situated in the same trees, and so near to eachother that broodingbirds could easilyreach into adjoin- ing neststo steal their neighbors'eggs and nestlings. 49. LmYasz) Srorr, Birds ofthe Philippines BLaC< BITTERN(Dupetor f. fiavicollis).--AlthoughDelacour and Mayr ascribenocturnal and secretivehabits to this species,we en- counteredit regularly in the marshesand rice paddieseast of Zambo- anga, Mindanao. It wasalways to be observedsingly but it did not appearto beparticularly shy nor was it restrictedto nocturnalactivity. We often saw it and at all times of day as it stoodon the exposed ridgesbetween flooded rice paddy squares. ANATIDAE, Ducks SPOTTEDWHISTLING DUCK (Dendrocygnaguttata).--An individual of this specieswas observedin the brackish marsh east of the Zambo- anga(Mindanao) airstrip on October29, 1945. Althoughthis species was not seen again, we found the LesserFulvous Whistling Duck (Dendrocygnaarcuata) to be fairly commonin the marshesabout Zamboangathroughout the fall months. ACCIPITRIDAE. Hawks CR•STmVLtzARv Hawx (Avicedajerdoni magnirostris).--Although Delacourand Mayr describethis bird as "rare and shy," wesaw three individualsin differentareas on Mindanaoduring the month of Octo- ber, 1945. The first of these was encounteredin a second-growth forest near Pulig, another at the demarcationline betweenthe Santa Maria marsh and the edge of the second-growthforest, and a third examplein a bare tree within half a mile of the centerof the city of Zamboanga. MONr,•V-mATINGEAGLm (Pithecophaga jefferyi).--An individual of this magnificentraptor was observedon September9, 1945. It flew directly over us as we were crossingthe jungle-borderedTumaga River about twdve milesinland from Zamboanga. We recognizedthe bird at once,having become previously well acquaintedwith the species througha living bird exhibitedby the San Diego ZoologicalSociety in 1938. Our guide, Pablo Santos,who had an excellentknowledge of the fauna of the area, reported that he had seenthe specieson numer- oustoccasionsas it flew over his homein the forestnear the Pasonanca Waterworks which lie approximatelya mile inside the openingof the Tumaga Canyon. PIEr HaRmmR (Circus melanoleucus).--Anindividual of this strikingly marked hawk was seen near Burauen, Leyte, in August, 1945, and another in a rice paddy near Mahnican, Mindanao, in Sep- tember, 1945. MARSHHARRIER (Circus aeruginosusspilonotus).--We watched a very bold individual of this harrier kill a Philippine Cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia).The cockatoowas too terrified to fly and did not make a sound when struck. The occurrence was observed at the San Pablo Airstrip on Leyte, March 2, 1946. RALLIDAE. Rails, Oallinules, etc. RUDDYCRAKE (Porzana fusca).--Single individuals of this rail were observedjust before sunseton two occasionsin the undergrowth dose to a vine-coveredoutcropping of lava near Ouiuan,Samar, June 7 (?) and August 2, 1945. On both occasionsthe bird eventually retreated to the crevicesin the lava in which it may have lived. CIIARADRIIDAE.Plovers and Lapwings PACIFICOOLDEN PLOVER (Pluvialis dominica fulva).mThis migratory specieswas first observedon October 28, 1945, near Mercedes, Mindanao. SCOLOPACIDAE.Curlews, Sandpipers,etc. WmMBREL(Numenius phaeopus variegatus).--This migratory cur- lew wasfirst observedon Jolo(Sulu Archipelago) on October21, 1945, at which time it was seenin large numbersalong the beachesand on sand spits in coastal marshes. COLUMBIDAE.Doves and Pigeons AMETHYSTBROWN FRUIT DOVE (Phapitrerona. amethystina).-- This little dove was found to be moderately abundant in the dense second-growthforests east and north of Guiuan, Samar. It was seen only singly or in pairs. During the day it frequenteddense thickets from which it emergedonly in the early morninghours and late in the afternoon. Unlike the White-caredBrown Fruit Dove (P. leucotis), which we later observedon Mindanao, it was never seen to perch in large trees but seemed to prefer low-growing vegetation. Like most of the forest doves, it is a very rapid flier and impressesthe observer with its remarkable agility and maneuverability as it flies through the tangled undergrowth. BLACK-CItlNNEDFRUIT DOVE (Ptilinopus leclancherO.--Delacour and Mayr report this bird to be absentfrom Leyte. Two individuals were observedalong the Binalayan River southof Tanauan in a lowland forest area, on a trip to Lake Davao, January 3, 1946. Water surroundedthe trees in which they were resting, so we were unable to approach closelyenough to flush them. 44 L• •.NnS•ror'r, Birds of the Philippines •aUnk. CUCULIDAE. Cuckoos VIOLETCuckoo (Chal½itesxanthorhynchus amethystinus) .--A single example of this rare cuckoo was encounteredin the forest on the crest of the lava plateau on southeasternSamar, August 2, 1945. MEROPIDAE. Bee-eaters CHESTNUT-HEADEDBEE-EATER (Merops viridis americanus).--A flock of several hundred individuals was encounteredin an upland marshon Samar on August 1, 1945. The flock had departedby the following morning. We later saw several large flocks in freshwater marsh forests near Labuan and San Ram6n, Mindanao, on October 25, 1945. In each casethe marshesthey frequented supporteda growth of large trees about which the bee-eatersswarmed. This specieswas never encounteredin open areas nor closeto human habitation. GR•N-HEAD•D BEE-EATeR(Merops superciliosusphilippinus).-- This larger and lesscolorful bee-eater was observedalmost daily from August 15 until November 3, 1945, in the outskirts of the city of Zamboanga,Mindanao. It wasalways seen in the immediatevicinity of open, brackish marshes. Unlike the former species,which was not seen to utilize man-provided perches, the Green-headed Bee-eater often perched on fence wires and posts. During the day, they were usually encounteredas single individuals, in pairs, or in small, dis- persedflocks occupied with the task of capturing insectsin a manner similar to that of New World flycatchers. In the later afternoonthey would congregatein large flocksto fly over the marshesin what ap- peared to be recreationalflights rather than foraging expeditions. They would fly rapidly, followinga straight coursefor severalhundred feet, then wheel in an about-face and return over the same course. This activity might be repeatedseveral times beforethe partialpants would pause to rest on the power lines or fence wires. On November 1, 1945, a flock of several hundred birds was observed dusting in a well-travelledroad, unmindful of the passingtraffic. This species seemedto be totally indifferentto the proximity of human activity. CORACIIDAE. Rollers DOLLARBIRD (Eurystomuso. orientalis).--We encounteredthis roller in uplandareas, as did Areadonand Jewerr (Notes on Philippine Birds, The Auk, 63 (4): 545, 1946). It was commonon the cleared hillsidesat an elevation of approximately2000 feet above the city of Zamboanga,Mindanao. It was also encounteredin lowland areas under cultivation near San Ram6n, Mindanao, in the dense lowland forestsof the island of ManicariA(off southernSamar), as well as in lowland second-growthforests of Samar, itself. Vol.1948 65'[J LINTAND SToTT, Birds of the Philippines 45 BUCI•ROTIDAI•. Hornbills WRITHED-BILLEDHORNBILL (Aceros l. leucocephalus).--Contrary to the Delacour-Mayr statementsthat it is "solitary or lives in pairs," this specieswas encounteredin large flocksin the foothill and mountain forests of the Zamboanga Peninsula on several occasionsduring

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