Tablas Fantail Rhipidura sauli Scientific name definitions

18 cm. Male has head and mantle greyish blue, feather shafts lighter blue, remaining upperparts rufous, lores and ear-coverts black; often some tiny white markings on malar area; upperwing black, secondaries broadly edged with rufous, tertials rufous with black shafts, upperwing-coverts greyish blue, innermost ones mainly rufous; central pair of rectrices black, adjacent pair with outer webs pale rufous and inner webs black, remaining rectrices pale rufous; throat and breast  greyish blue, broad pale shaft-streaks (strongest on breast), remaining underparts  rufous-buff; iris dark brown; bill black; legs dark buff-horn. Female is slightly smaller than male. Immature resembles adult.

Until recently treated as conspecific with R. cyaniceps and R. albiventris. Split initially proposed on basis of molecular evidence (1 Sánchez-González, L.A. and Moyle, R.G. (2011). Molecular systematics and species limits in the Philippine fantails (Aves: Rhipidura). Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 61(2): 290–299. Close ), and this reinforced by its broader white shaft streaks on breast (1); stronger rufous wingpanel connecting to back (2); rufous-buff vs tan-buff belly (1); longer wing (effect size for males, n = 8, 2.04, score 2); lower-pitched call (2 Allen, D. (2006). New records and other observations of birds on the island of Tablas, Romblon province, Philippines. Forktail 22:77–84. Close ), only recording being of a “chep” vs a metallic “tsik”, hence frequency (2) and note shape (1). Monotypic.

Tablas, in NC Philippines.

Insects, captured in short sallies. Behaviour not known to differ significantly from that of R. cyaniceps.

Little known. One recording suggests a “chep” call (rather than the metallic “tsik” or “chik” notes of relatives), and vocalizations said to be lower-pitched than those of R. cyaniceps, but territorial song is apparently unknown.

Almost no specific information, but thought to be feeding young in late Mar. Probably much like that of R. cyaniceps.

VULNERABLE. This species’ population, estimated as lying in the range 2500–9999 mature individuals, is thought to be declining as a result of the ongoing degradation and loss of forest habitat on Tablas. Extensive forest clearance has taken place on the island since the start of the 20th century, and much of Tablas is now under cultivation and/or used for livestock-rearing. The few remaining forested areas are mainly in N of island, but even these are relatively small in extent (less than 100 ha). The most important areas of surviving forest habitat are around the summit and SE slopes of Mt Palaupau, where forest is maintained as a watershed.