Justification

This species has an extremely small, severely fragmented population. Continuing rates of forest loss on the two islands where it occurs suggest that it will continue to decline, thereby qualifying it as Critical.

Threats

Primary forests have been almost totally destroyed on Negros (where just 4% of any type of forest cover remained in 1988) and Panay (where 8% remained). Habitat degradation, through clearance for agriculture, timber and charcoal-burning, continues to pose a serious threat to remaining fragments. This is exacerbated by trapping and hunting for food and, presumably, for the cage-bird trade.

Conservation

The only recent records are from a protected area, Mt Canlaon Natural Park on Negros . Local reports also derive from the North Negros Forest Reserve, and another area where it was formerly recorded (Mt Talinis/Twin Lakes on Negros ) has been proposed for conservation-related funding. In the mid-1990s, the species featured on a bilingual environmental awareness poster as part of the in the Philippinesseries.

Targets

*Conduct fieldwork in all areas from which the species has been locally reported and all other sites where suitable habitat remains, including the Bulabong Puti-an National Park. *Establish the proposed 100 km² North-west Panay Peninsula National Park , where the species has recently been discovered. *Provide immediate effective protection for the North Negros Forest Reserve. *Encourage careful reforestation activities around remaining forests.