Sangihe Golden-Bulbul Hypsipetes platenae Scientific name definitions

21–22 cm. Large, conspicuous, olive-and-yellow bulbul with long bill, weak rictal bristles. Adult has virtually uniform olive-green plumage, except vivid-yellow lores and eyering, yellow ear coverts and throat, as well as base of rectrices. Sexes alike. Juvenile is believed to be duller, with a paler iris.

Until recently considered conspecific with the Sula Golden-Bulbul (Hypsipetes longirostris), but this was split into multiple species (1 Collar, N. J., J. A. Eaton, and R. O. Hutchinson (2013). Species limits in the Golden Bulbul Alophoixus (Thapsinillas) affinis complex. Forktail 29:19–24. Close ). The present species differs from all (and from the Seram Golden-Bulbul (Hypsipetes affinis) and the Buru Golden-Bulbul (Hypsipetes mysticalis)) in its bright yellow triangular lores extending to and contiguous with the eyering (2); bright yellow eyering, broken only by a narrow gap at rear of eye (3); yellowish ear-coverts and yellow submoustachial area, producing a broad yellow throat (ns[2]); very broad yellow fringes on inner vanes of rectrices extending the length of the feathers (2); and apparently particular vocalizations (2 Eaton, J. A., B. van Balen, N. W. Brickle, and F. E. Rheindt (2016). Birds of the Indonesian Archipelago: Greater Sundas and Wallacea. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Close ).

Sangihe Island (off northeastern Sulawesi).

Prefers interior of broadleaf evergreen forest, or light woodland, from sea-level to ca. 900–1,000 m. The species is usually absent from second growth and plantations, instead showing a strong preference for small remnants of relatively intact forest.

No information on diet. Occurs in pairs and small groups typically of three to six birds, exceptionally up to 10 individuals.

Song comprises two short components, the first consists of four rich, nasal notes that rise in pitch, immediately followed by several high-pitched, quirky whistles, the whole lasting 3–5 seconds and rendered kwee-kwee-kwee-kwee-DEEP-pDEEP-pDEEP, which is often given in duet, and is harder and less jumbled than other members of the species complex; call is an inflected, warbled bwit, also gives high, peeved, nasal nyeuk! and deeper, more thrush-like puk! while foraging. Vocalizations perhaps seasonal, as the species was rarely heard in October but it was frequently vocalizing in February.

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED. Known from three specimens. Population tiny, estimated at just 30–150 mature individuals (3 Riley, J. (2002). Population sizes and the status of endemic and restricted-range bird species on Sangihe Island, Indonesia. Bird Conservation International 12(1):53–78. Close , 4 Collar, N.J., Eaton, J.A. and Hutchinson, R.O. (2013). Species limits in the Golden Bulbul Alophoixus (Thapsinillas) affinis complex. Forktail. 29: 19-24. Close ) and is believed to be still declining as and the species is virtually absent from plantations and second growth, suggesting an intolerance for habitat degradation, although a visitor in 1986 suggested that the species was “common” and noted its presence in “mixed tree crop plantations”; in contrast, several more recent visitors to Sangihe completely failed to record Sangihe Golden-Bulbul, with only a few sightings in 1996–1999 (5 Riley, J. (1997). Biological Surveys and Conservation Priorities on the Sangihe and Talaud Islands, Indonesia. The Final Report of Action Sampiri 1995-1997. CSB Conservation Publications, Cambridge, UK. Close , 3 Riley, J. (2002). Population sizes and the status of endemic and restricted-range bird species on Sangihe Island, Indonesia. Bird Conservation International 12(1):53–78. Close ) and 2004 (4 Collar, N.J., Eaton, J.A. and Hutchinson, R.O. (2013). Species limits in the Golden Bulbul Alophoixus (Thapsinillas) affinis complex. Forktail. 29: 19-24. Close ). Restricted-range species: confined to a single island in the Sangihe and Talaud Endemic Bird Area, an area that has been subject extensive deforestation, with Sangihe (which has no conservation units) being particularly badly affected, to the extent that the only remaining forest, most of it secondary, is confined to Mount Awu, Mount Otomata and Mount Sahendaruman (the majority of this is currently designated Protection Forest on account of its watershed value), but during surveys in the late 1990s the present species was recorded only in the third-named area. Small-scale clearance at the edges of remaining forest continues, and clearings have also been created and maintained in a few places so that mist-nets can be employed to catch bats for food. A project is underway to update information on forest cover and conversion rates, review current land-use management, develop a long-term plan for forest protection, site conservation and habitat management, and establish a protected area on Mount Sahendaruman.