Buru Racquet-tail Prioniturus mada Scientific name definitions

Buru, in S Moluccas.

Rainforest, ranging from sea-level up to at least 1750 m, but also recorded in cultivation close to villages (1 Reeve, A. H., T. Haryoko, M. K. Poulsen, P.-H. Fabre, and K. A. Jønsson (2014). New ornithological records from Buru and Seram, south Maluku, Indonesia, 1995–2012. Forktail 30:10–22. Close ); reports of altitudinal preferences now considered to be unsubstantiated.

Not well documented. Calls include a variety rather melodious whistles uttered in short phrases or repetitions of a single loud whistle, e.g. “whee-o-eew…whee-o-eew…” (somewhat reminiscent of a drongo Dicrurus). Also more metallic short notes such as “peek!”.

Not globally threatened. CITES II. Currently considered Near Threatened. A BirdLife “restricted-range” species. The mountains of Buru remain well forested, there is apparently no trade in this species, and it was common and widespread, including in selectively logged forest, with flocks of 4–10 regularly seen, late 1989, and it was also common, in flocks of up to 16 birds, in 1995 (1 Reeve, A. H., T. Haryoko, M. K. Poulsen, P.-H. Fabre, and K. A. Jønsson (2014). New ornithological records from Buru and Seram, south Maluku, Indonesia, 1995–2012. Forktail 30:10–22. Close ).