White-eared Brown-Dove Phapitreron leucotis Scientific name definitions

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White-eared Brown-Dove (White-eared)

23–24 cm; 82–158 g. Forehead grey becoming vinous-brown on crown and nape; rest of plumage brown, paler below  , throat rufescent; neck  and mantle glossy bronze-green and purple; central rectrices dark purple-brown, tipped dull grey; outer rectrices with pale tips  and brown dark purplish subterminal band; undertail-coverts  pale grey; black stripe and below a white stripe run from the bill passing below the eye toward the nape; orbital skin bluish green; feet  or legs pink or red; bill black. Sexes similar. Juvenile paler and redder, wing feathers fringed rusty; little or no neck iridescence; facial markings less pronounced than in adult.

White-eared Brown-Dove (Buff-eared)

23–24 cm; 89–136 g. Buff ear-stripes distinguish this species  from allopatric and formerly conspecific P. leucotis and P. brevirostris  , and further separated from first-named by shorter bill , green-glossed nape and hindneck, more strongly metallic upper mantle  , chin and throat pale buff, and breast  distinctly glossed golden-green (see Taxonomy comments); iris grey. Sexes similar. Juvenile paler and redder, wing feathers fringed with rust; little or no neck iridescence; facial markings less pronounced than in adult.

White-eared Brown-Dove (Short-billed)

23 cm; 100–128 g. See Taxonomy comments for differences between this species  and formerly conspecific P. nigrorum  and P. leucotis. Sexes similar. Juvenile paler and redder, wing feathers fringed with rust; little or no neck iridescence; facial markings less pronounced than in adult. Race occipitalis has slightly darker throat than nominate race and a rich purple nape that is iridescent and can reflect at some angles; iris pale warm brown (versus pink or brown). Overlaps with P. brunneiceps on Mindanao and Basilan, which species has brown crown, no or virtually no pale subcilial line, hindneck glossed purple, greyer underparts, and rusty undertail-coverts and thighs. <em>P. amethystinus</em> is larger than the present species, with longer bill, darker cap, usually a scaly throat, warm buff undertail-coverts and more intensely metallic purple-blue upper mantle.

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White-eared Brown-Dove (White-eared)

Hitherto considered the nominate subspecies of a widespread polytypic species, but, in light of a recent review (1 Collar, N.J. (2011). Species limits in some Philippine birds including the Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus. Forktail. 27: 29–38. Close ) and further assessment of the morphological evidence, P. leucotis, P. nigrorum and P. brevirostris are here separated at species level on the following grounds. P. nigrorum differs from P. leucotis in its buffy (not vinous-russet) throat (1); buffy (not white) subcilial streak (2); brownish-grey (not pale grey) forecrown shading to greenish (not bronzy-russet) hindcrown and greener, less pinkish mantle and neck-sides (2); and smaller size (effect size for wing 2.02, score 2). It differs from P. brevirostris in its buffy (not whitish) throat (1); buffy (not white) subcilial streak (2); brownish-grey (not strong buffy-white) forecrown shading to greenish (not pinkish) hindcrown and greener, much less pinkish mantle and neck sides, weaker metallic blue centre of mantle (3); and larger size (effect size for tail 1.84, score 1). P. brevirostris differs from P. leucotis in its buffy-whitish (not vinous-russet) throat (2); strong buffy-white (not pale grey) forecrown (1); strong pink (not bronzy-russet) on hindneck, pinker tinge on neck sides and breast, with stronger metallic blue centre of mantle (2); and shorter bill (effect size 3.07, score 2). Monotypic.

White-eared Brown-Dove (Buff-eared)

Hitherto considered conspecific with P. leucotis and P. brevirostris but, in light of a recent review (1 Collar, N.J. (2011). Species limits in some Philippine birds including the Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus. Forktail. 27: 29–38. Close ) and further assessment of the morphological evidence, P. leucotis, P. nigrorum and P. brevirostris are here separated at species level on the following grounds. P. nigrorum differs from P. leucotis in its buffy (not vinous-russet) throat (1); buffy (not white) subcilial streak (2); brownish-grey (not pale grey) forecrown shading to greenish (not bronzy-russet) hindcrown and greener, less pinkish mantle and neck-sides (2); and smaller size (effect size for wing 2.02, score 2). It differs from P. brevirostris in its buffy (not whitish) throat (1); buffy (not white) subcilial streak (2); brownish-grey (not strong buffy-white) forecrown shading to greenish (not pinkish) hindcrown and greener, much less pinkish mantle and neck sides, weaker metallic blue centre of mantle (3); and larger size (effect size for tail 1.84, score 1). Monotypic.

White-eared Brown-Dove (Short-billed)

Hitherto considered conspecific with P. leucotis and P. nigrorum but, in light of a recent review (1 Collar, N.J. (2011). Species limits in some Philippine birds including the Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes lucidus. Forktail. 27: 29–38. Close ) and further assessment of the morphological evidence, P. leucotis, P. nigrorum and P. brevirostris are here separated at species level on the following grounds. P. brevirostris differs from P. leucotis in its buffy-whitish (not vinous-russet) throat (2); strong buffy-white (not pale grey) forecrown (1); strong pink (not bronzy-russet) on hindneck, pinker tinge on neck-sides and breast, with stronger metallic blue centre of mantle (2); and shorter bill (effect size 3.07, score 2). P. brevirostris differs from  P. nigrorum in its whitish (not buffy) throat (1); white (not buffy) subcilial streak (2); strong buffy-white (not brownish-grey) forecrown shading to pinkish (not greenish) hindcrown and much more pinkish mantle and neck-sides, stronger metallic blue centre of mantle (3); and smaller size (effect size for tail 1.84, score 1). Proposed races albifrons and samarensis are treated as synonyms of nominate (2 Dickinson, E. C., R. S. Kennedy, and K. C. Parkes (1991). The Birds of the Philippines. An Annotated Check-list. B.O.U. Check-list 12. British Ornithologists’ Union, Tring, U.K. Close ). Two subspecies recognized.

White-eared Brown-Dove (White-eared)

N Philippines: Luzon, Polillo, Alabat, Catanduanes, Lubang, Verde, Mindoro and Marinduque.

White-eared Brown-Dove (Buff-eared)

CE Philippines: Tablas, Sibuyan, Ticao, Masbate, Panay, Calagnaan, Guimaras, Negros and Cebu.

White-eared Brown-Dove (White-eared)

Inhabits dense woodland, open woodland and edges of cultivated fields up to 1500 m. On Mt Isarog, S Luzon, prefers altitudes between 450 m and 1125 m.

White-eared Brown-Dove (Buff-eared)

Frequents secondary growth and montane forest as well as the margins of cultivated land; mainly found below c. 1600 m, but recorded to 2300 m on Mt Kanlaon (Negros)#R  .

White-eared Brown-Dove (Short-billed)

White-eared Brown-Dove (White-eared)

Resident and sedentary.

White-eared Brown-Dove (Buff-eared)

White-eared Brown-Dove (Short-billed)

White-eared Brown-Dove (White-eared)

Takes a variety of fruit   and seeds, including peppers (3 Kennedy, R. S., P. C. Gonzales, E. C. Dickinson, H. C. Miranda, and T. H. Fisher (2000). A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ); on Mt Isarog (Luzon) recorded feeding on figs and Lithocarpus acorns.

White-eared Brown-Dove (Buff-eared)

White-eared Brown-Dove (Short-billed)

No specific information available. Known to consume fruits and seeds.

White-eared Brown-Dove (White-eared)

Distinctive. The advertising call  is an easily imitated “hoot-ho hoot-ho hoot hoot hoot hoot-hoot-hoot” that stutters at first and then accelerates while descending the scale, to trail off at the end. It also gives a rapid series of descending two-syllable notes “who-oo who-oo who-oo who-oo”, as well as a descending series of vibrant rolling notes (3 Kennedy, R. S., P. C. Gonzales, E. C. Dickinson, H. C. Miranda, and T. H. Fisher (2000). A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). Apparently no signifcant differences versus formerly conspecific P. brevirostris and P. nigrorum.

White-eared Brown-Dove (Buff-eared)

Not formally described but, like other members of P. leucotis complex, song  is a clear, rapidly delivered series of somewhat musical “wook” notes that swell in volume.

White-eared Brown-Dove (Short-billed)

Not formally described but, like other members of P. leucotis complex, song  is a clearly enunciated, accelerating series of somewhat musical “wook” notes that swell in volume.

White-eared Brown-Dove (White-eared)

Season mainly Mar–Jun, although birds with enlarged gonads have also been reported in Feb and Oct. Nest is a loose arrangement of small twigs and coiled vine tendrils, sited 1–6 m up (perhaps occasionally up to 12 m above ground) in horizontal fork within a small tree, often in dense foliage near streams; clutch two glossy white eggs (3 Kennedy, R. S., P. C. Gonzales, E. C. Dickinson, H. C. Miranda, and T. H. Fisher (2000). A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ). No further information.

White-eared Brown-Dove (Buff-eared)

White-eared Brown-Dove (Short-billed)

Presumably similar to P. leucotis; eggs recorded on Mindanao in May and birds in breeding condition on Siquijor in Mar–May.

White-eared Brown-Dove (White-eared)

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Very little information available on status, but the species is still considered common on most islands throughout its range (which is estimated at 118,000 km²); apparently adaptable, at least to some extent, to certain environments modified by man. Known from two Endemic Bird Areas, namely Luzon EBA and Mindoro EBA. Population suspected to be stable in absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats. Extensive research required.

White-eared Brown-Dove (Buff-eared)

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Still considered common or very common across its reasonably wide, multi-island range (estimated at 34,100 km²). Occurs in two Endemic Bird Areas, namely Cebu EBA and Negros and Panay EBA. Population suspected to be stable in absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

White-eared Brown-Dove (Short-billed)

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Still considered common or very common across its wide range (estimated at 122,000 km²), and reportedly abundant on Basilan. Occurs in two Endemic Bird Areas, namely Mindanao and the Eastern Visayas EBA and the Sulu archipelago EBA. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.