Philippine leafbird facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Philippine leafbird |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Chloropsis
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| Species: |
flavipennis
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The Philippine leafbird (Chloropsis flavipennis) is a special type of bird found only in the Philippines. It belongs to the Chloropseidae family. You can find this bird on the islands of Mindanao, Leyte, and Cebu.
Its natural home is in tropical moist lowland forests. Sadly, it is in danger because it is losing its home due to habitat loss. Mindanao seems to be where most of these birds live. There are only a few left in Leyte, and the bird might already be extinct in Cebu.
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What Does the Philippine Leafbird Look Like?
The Philippine leafbird is a medium-sized bird. It lives in the treetops and edges of lowland and foothill forests. This bird is mostly bright green. It has a lighter green chest and face. Its throat, the ring around its eye, and the edge of its wing are yellowish.
You can also spot its brown beak and black wingtips. Its legs are black too. There are no other green birds of this size in the areas where it lives. Its song is made of simple, medium-pitched whistles. It might also make a series of repeated "tyup!" sounds.
Where Does the Philippine Leafbird Live?
This bird lives in tropical moist lowland primary forests. It also lives in well-developed secondary forests. These forests can be found up to 970 meters (about 3,180 feet) above sea level. The Philippine leafbird does not do well if its forest home is damaged a lot. It likes to find its food high up in the canopy (the top layer of the forest).
Why is This Bird in Danger?
Experts have listed the Philippine leafbird as a vulnerable species. This means it is at high risk of becoming extinct. There are only an estimated 600 to 1,700 of these birds left. The biggest threat to the bird is the widespread cutting down of lowland forests. This happens on all the islands where it lives.
Most of the remaining lowland forests are not protected. This leaves them open to both legal and Illegal logging. Forests are also being cleared to make farmlands using Slash-and-burn methods. Mining also destroys their homes.
The bird can be found in Pasonanca Natural Park, which is a protected area. However, the rules against loggers are not always strongly enforced there.
How Can We Help?
To help the Philippine leafbird, scientists suggest a few things. They want to explore the remaining lowland forests on Samar, Leyte, and less-known parts of Mindanao. This will help them find out where the birds are now and how many there are.
After these surveys, they can suggest important places to become protected areas. It is also important to study what the birds need from their habitat. This includes finding out how much they rely on old, untouched forests to survive.
