This article is one of a series providing information about endemism among birds in the world's various zoogeographic zones.
Patterns of endemism The Wild Bird Club of the Philippines has a checklist of the birds of the Philippines which follows the IOC World Bird List. Of these 260 bird species endemic to the Philippines. Many of these are restricted to specific islands, particularly Luzon, Mindanao, and Palawan.A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines, Robert S. Kennedy et al., Oxford University Press, 2013. The number of endemic species recognized in the Philippines has increased in recent years, mainly due to "splits" of species and, to a much lesser extent, due to the discovery of previously unknown species."Birds of the World", Cornell Lab of Ornithology, https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species. An example of splitting is the division of the erstwhile species Philippine hawk-owl (Ninox scutulata) into seven species, now called by the name of this-or-that boobook (Luzon boobook, Mindoro boobook, etc. see the list below). Another example is the split of the erstwhile tarictric hornbill (Penelopides panini), itself a Philippines endemic, into four or five separate species (Visayan hornbill, Luzon hornbill, Mindoro hornbill, Mindanao hornbill and possibly Samar hornbill, which may or may not be distinct from the Mindanao hornbill). The split of the greater flameback (Chrysocolaptes lucidus) is another example as it has been split into eight species, four of which are endemic to the Philippines (Luzon flameback, yellow-faced flameback, buff-spotted flameback and red-headed flameback).
In addition to splitting, there has been much taxonomic reassignment of species to new families, particularly affecting the babblers, many of which are now assigned to Locustellidae (grass warblers) or Zosteropidae (white-eyes).
However the taxonomy is organized, only Indonesia, Brazil and Australia exceed the Philippines for number of endemic bird species, and these are much larger countries.Where to Watch Birds in Asia, Nigel Wheatley, Princeton University Press, 1996. There are seven distinct Endemic Bird Areas in the Philippines: (1) Mindoro, (2) Luzon, (3) Negros and Panay, (4) Cebu, (5) Mindanao and the Eastern Visayas, (6) the Sulu Archipelago and (7) Palawan."Endemic Bird Areas of the World", Alison J. Statterfield et al., BirdLife International, 1998.
In the context of Philippines bird endemics, the rhabdornis merit special discussion. The affinities of these birds with other species has long been under debate. In the past, many taxonomists considered the rhabdornis to form a distinct endemic family of birds restricted to the Philippines (Rhabdornithidae).The Birds of the Philippines: An Annotated Check-List, Dickinson and Kennedy, British Ornithologists' Union, 1991. Other taxonomists have considered the rhabdornis' to be a form of creeper (Certhiidae).Bird Families of the World, Cameron and Harrison, Harry N Abrams Inc. Publishers, New York, 1978. Recent study tends to consider the rhabdornis to form a genus within the starling family (Sturnidae), although this view may be subject to further revision.International Ornithological Committee World Bird List (v11.1), F. Gill et al., 2020. Four species of rhabdornis are currently recognized (strip-sided, long-billed, stripe-breasted and Visayan). Whether or not the rhabdornis represent an endemic Philippines family, the four rhabdornis species are all endemic to the Philippines.
Many species of Philippine birds are also found in the Talaud Islands north of Sulawesi, which are part of Indonesia. Technically, those birds are not Philippine endemics. However, considering the small size and remote location of the Talaud Islands, it may be justified to consider those species as Philippine endemics for practical purposes. Individual cases are discussed below.
Many of the Philippine endemic species are rare and endangered; two of the birds are possibly extinct.
List of species
The species listed follow the taxonomic order of A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines by Robert Kennedy et al. The English names of some birds have been subject to recent change; in those cases an "also-known-as" (aka) is indicated. Some deviation from the Kennedy taxonomic order has been necessary due to reassignment of species to different families by the International Ornithological Committee.
Philippine duck, Anas luzonica Philippine serpent eagle, Spilornis holospilus Philippine eagle, Pithecophaga jefferyi Philippine hawk-eagle, Nisaetus philippensis Pinsker's hawk-eagle, Nisaetus pinskeri Philippine falconet, Microhierax erythrogenys Palawan peacock-pheasant, Polyplectron napoleonis Worcester's buttonquail, Turnix worcesteri Spotted buttonquail, Turnix ocellata Luzon rail aka brown-banded rail, Lewinia mirifica Calayan rail, Aptenorallus calayanensis Plain bush-hen, Amaurornis olivacea Bukidnon woodcock, Scolapax bukidnonensis Philippine green pigeon, Treron axillaris White-eared brown dove, Phapitreron leucotis Amethyst brown dove, Phapitreron amethystina Dark-eared brown dove, Phapitreron brunneiceps Tawitawi brown dove, Phapitreron cinereiceps Flame-breasted fruit-dove, Ptilinopus marchei Cream-breasted fruit-dove, Ptilinopus merrilli Yellow-breasted fruit-dove, Ptilinopus occipitalis Black-chinned fruit-dove, Ptilinopus leclandheri Negros fruit-dove, Ptilinopus arcanus (possibly extinct) Pink-bellied imperial-pigeon, Ducula poliocephala Spotted imperial-pigeon, Ducula carola Philippine collared dove, Streptopelia tenuirostris Luzon bleeding-heart, Gallicolumba luzonica Mindanao bleeding-heart, Gallicomba criniger Sulu bleeding-heart, Gallicolumba menagei (possibly extinct) Negros bleeding-heart, Gallicolumba keayi Mindoro bleeding-heart, Gallicolumba platenae Mindanao lorikeet, Trichoglossus johnstoniae Guaiabero, Bolbopsittacus lunulatus Philippine cockatoo, Cacatua haematuropgia Green racquet-tail, Prioniturus luconensis Luzon racquet-tail, Prioniturus montanus Mindoro racket-tail, Prioniturus mindorensis Blue-headed racquet-tail, Prioniturus platenae Mindanao racquet-tail, Prioniturus waterstradti Blue-winged racquet-tail, Prioniturus verticalis Blue-crowned racquet-tail, Prioniturus discurus Philippine hanging-parrot aka Colasisi, Loriculus philippensis Philippine hawk-cuckoo, Hierococcyx pectoralis Philippine drongo-cuckoo, Surniculus velutinus Scale-feathered malkoha, Dasylophus cumingi Red-crested malkoha, Dasylophus superciliosus Black-hooded coucal, Centropus steerii Philippine coucal, Centropus viridis Black-faced coucal, Centropus melanops Rufous coucal, Centropus unirfus Mindoro scops-owl, Otus mindorensis Luzon scops-owl, Otus longicornis Mantanani scops-owl, Otus mantananensis Palawan scops-owl, Otus fuliginosus Philippine scops-owl, Otus megalotis Mindanao scops-owl, Otus mirus Giant scops owl, Otus gurneyi Philippine eagle-owl, Buba philippensis Luzon boobook, Ninox philippensis Chocolate boobook, Ninox randi Mindanao boobook, Ninox spilocephala Mindoro boobook, Ninox mindorensis Romblon boobook, Ninox spilonotus Cebu boobook, Ninox rumseyi Camiguin boobook, Ninox leventisi Sulu boobook, Ninox reyi Philippine frogmouth, Batrachostomus septimus Philippine nightjar, Caprimulgus manillensis Whitehead's swiftlet, Aerodramus whiteheadi Ameline swiftlet, Aerodramus amelis Philippine swiftlet, Aerodramus mearnsi Pygmy swiftlet, Collocalia troglodytes Gray-rumped swiftlet, Collocalia marginata Philippine spine-tailed swift, Mearnsia picina Philippine trogon, Harpactes ardens Indigo-banded kingfisher, Ceyx cyanopecta Northern silvery kingfisher, Ceyx flumenicola Southern silvery kingfisher, Ceyx argentatus Philippine dwarf kingfisher, Ceyx melanurus Rufous-lored kingfisher, Todiramphus winchelli Spotted kingfisher aka spotted wood-kingfisher, Actenoides lindsayi Blue-capped kingfisher aka blue-capped wood-kingfisher aka Hombron's wood-kingfisher, Actenoides hombroni Rufous-crowned bee-eater, Merops americanus Visayan hornbill, Penelopides panini Luzon hornbill, Penelopides manillae Mindoro hornbill, Penelopides mindorensis Samar hornbill, Penelopides samarensis Mindanao hornbill, Penelopides affinis Writhed-billed hornbill aka Walden's hornbill, Rhabdotorrhinus waldeni Writhed hornbill, Rhabdotorrhinus leucocephalus Sulu hornbill, Anthracoceros montani Palawan hornbill, Anthracoceros marchei Rufous hornbill, Buceros hydrocorax Philippine woodpecker, Yungipicus maculatus Northern sooty woodpecker, Mulleripicus funebris Southern sooty woodpecker, Mulleripicus fuliginosus Luzon flameback, Chrysocolaptes haematribon Yellow-faced flameback, Chrysocolaptes xanthocephalus Buff-spotted flameback, Chrysocolaptes lucidus Red-headed flameback, Chrysocolaptes erythrocephalus Wattled broadbill, Eurylaimus steeri Visayan broadbill, Eurylaimus samarensis Whiskered pitta, Erythropitta kochi Philippine pitta, Erythropitta eryhthrogaster Azure-breasted pitta aka Steer's pitta, Pitta steeri Blackish cuckoo-shrike, Analisoma coerelescens White-winged cuckoo-shrike, Analisoma ostenta Black-bibbed cuckoo-shrike, Edalisoma mindanense McGregor's cuckoo-shrike, Malindangia mcgregori Black-and-white triller, Lalage melanoleuca Philippine leafbird, Chloropsis flavipennis Yellow-throated leafbird, Chloropsis palawanensis Yellow-wattled bulbul, Brachypodius urostictus Ashy-fronted bulbul, Pycnonotus cinereifrons Gray-throated bulbul aka Palawan bulbul, Alophoixus frater Sulphur-bellied bulbul, Iole palawanensis Philippine bulbul, Hypsipetes philippinus Zamboanga bulbul, Hypsipetes rufigularis Streak-breasted bulbul, Hypsipetes siquijorensis Yellowish bulbul, Hypsipetes everetti Camiguin bulbul, Hypsipetes catarmanensis Balicassiao, Dicrurus balicassius Philippine oriole, Oriolus steeri Isabela oriole, Oriolus isabellae Philippine fairy-bluebird, Irena cyanogaster Palawan fairy-bluebird, Irena tweeddalii Palawan tit, Periparus amabilis Elegant tit, Periparus elegans White-fronted tit, Sittiparus semilarvatus Sulphur-billed nuthatch, Sitta oenochlamys Ashy-headed babbler, Pellorneum cinereiceps Palawan babbler, Malacopteron palawanense Falcated wren-babbler, Ptilocichla falcata Striated wren-babbler, Ptilocichla mindanensis Rusty-crowned babbler, Sterrhoptilus capitalis Black-crowned babbler, Sterrhoptilus nigrocapitatis Calabarzon babbler, Sterrhoptilus affinis Golden-crowned babbler, Sterrhoptilus dennistouni Brown tit-babbler, Macronus striaticeps Leyte plumed-warbler, split from miniature tit-babbler, Leyte form (now classified as a type of cisticola), Micromacronus leytensis Mindanao plumed-warbler, split from miniature tit-babbler, Mindanao form (now classified as a type of cisticola), Micromacronus sordidus Visayan pygmy-babbler, Dasycrotapha pygmaea Mindanao pygmy-babbler, Dasycrotapha plateni Flame-templed babbler, Dasycrotapha speciosa Chestnut-faced babbler, Zosterornis whiteheadi Luzon striped-babbler, Zosterornis striatus Panay striped-babbler, Zosterornis latistriatus Negros striped-babbler, Zosterornis nigrorum Palawan striped-babbler, Zosterornis hypogrammicus Ashy thrush, Geokichla cinerea Philippine leaf-warbler, Phylloscopus olivaceous Lemon-throated leaf-warbler, Phylloscopus cebuensis Philippine tailorbird, Orthotomus castaneiceps Gray-backed tailorbird, Orthotomus derbianus Green-backed tailorbird, Orthotomus chloronotus Yellow-breasted tailorbird, Orthotomus samarensis White-browed tailorbird, Orthotomus nigriceps White-eared tailorbird, Orthotomus cinereiceps Rufous-fronted tailorbird, Orthotomus frontalis Rufous-headed tailorbird (now classified as a type of bush-warbler), Phyllergates heterolaemus Philippine bush-warbler, Horornis seebohmi Benguet bush-warbler (now classified as a type of grassbird), Locustella seebohmi Long-tailed bush-warbler (now classified as a type of grassbird), Locustella caudatus Cordillera ground warbler (formerly classified as a babbler, now as a grassbird), Robsonius rabori