Philippine Spinetail Mearnsia picina Scientific name definitions

14 cm; 8·7–14·3 g. Large spinetail with very long wings hooked in outer wing, bulging midwing and pinched in at body  ; large head and relatively short, square tail  , appearing more rounded when spread, rectrix spines extending up to 1·2 mm beyond web in central rectrices and by 1 mm in outer rectrices (1 Chantler, P., and G. Driessens (2000). Swifts: A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World. 2nd edition. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ). Very black plumage  broken only by small, but highly distinct, white throat-patch  and equally striking white patches on underwing-coverts  , last feature unique in Apodiformes. Juvenile plumage unknown (1 Chantler, P., and G. Driessens (2000). Swifts: A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World. 2nd edition. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ).

SC & S Philippines: Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Cebu, Negros and Mindanao. Recorded also on Panay and in Sulu Is (Tawitawi, Sanga-Sanga).

Apparently a forest species, but has been observed feeding over ecotone between forest and agriculture (2 Lambert, F. R. (1993). Some key sites and significant records of birds in the Philippines and Sabah. Bird Conservation International 3(4):281–297. Close ).

Resident.

Usually seen at high elevations alone or in small groups.

Unknown (1 Chantler, P., and G. Driessens (2000). Swifts: A Guide to the Swifts and Treeswifts of the World. 2nd edition. Pica Press, Robertsbridge, UK. Close ).

Not known.

Not globally threatened. Currently considered Near Threatened. Restricted-range species: present in Negros and Panay EBA, Cebu EBA (had been presumed extinct, but recently rediscovered) (3 Paguntalana, L. M. J., and P. G. Jakosalem (2008). Significant records of birds in forests on Cebu island, central Philippines. Forktail 24:48–56. Close ), Mindanao and the Eastern Visayas EBA and Sulu Archipelago EBA. Believed to be uncommon throughout range. Recorded in low numbers during 1991 survey of Negros. Occurs in Mount Canlaon National Park, Negros.