Philippine Trogon Harpactes ardens Scientific name definitions

29–30 cm; 82–114 g. Male nominate race has bill yellow with bright green base, head and throat black with violet-blue facial skin, crown suffused maroon; neck and mantle pale brown, rump lighter; tail rufous with blackish terminal band; breast greyish pink, breastline bright red, rest of underparts pinkish red. Female like male above but duller , head and throat brownish-black, breast and belly orange-brown, barring on wingpanel rich brown; bill and facial skin as male. Juvenile resembles female, but with coarse barring on wingpanel. Race <em>linae</em> has more extensive and indistinct throat patch than any other, larger bill; <em>luzoniensis</em> has slightly shorter bill, and duller upperparts, male without maroon wash on crown; minor small, with red colours darker; <em>herberti</em> with maroon wash over entire crown, slightly larger bill than luzoniensis.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Lower and middle strata of primary forest of all types (including on ultrabasic rock) except mossy forest, occasionally also in second growth; up to 2000 m, but commoner at lower elevations, 200–600 m, often in dense vegetation in valleys and along streams. On Mt Isarog, in Luzon, found near transition between dipterocarp and lower montane forest at 900 m, but records 450–1060 m. On Dinagat, occurs in darker parts (third-storey trees) of original dipterocarp forest areas and remnant patches growing in small valleys and on lower hill slopes.

Grasshoppers recorded. On Mindanao, a bird in flight seen plucking a 20-cm stick-insect off a branch, then flying off to eat it nearby.

Descending series of soft notes that rise and accelerate, then gradually descend and slow towards end, the whole lasting less than 1·5 seconds, and sometimes repeated as frequently as every c. 10 seconds.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). May have declined substantially since 19th century, when said by explorers to be abundant from Luzon to Basilan, whereas today it is very common only locally (e.g. in parts of Sierra Madre of Luzon), otherwise no more than fairly common; very uncommon in Bataan, Luzon, in 1948. Uncommon and very local in 1970s on Marinduque. Species is apparently trapped on Bohol, for unstated reasons, but not uncommon within Rajah Sikatuna National Park. Fairly common in 1972 on Dinagat. Sibulan, in S Polillo, appears to be the only site where race minor survives, although it had been assumed to occur on other islands in the group; this subspecies therefore presumably highly threatened.