The Apo myna (''Goodfellowia miranda'') is a species of

starling Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Sturnidae. The Sturnidae are named for the genus '' Sturnus'', which in turn comes from the Latin word for starling, ''sturnus''. Many Asian species, particularly the larger ones, ...

in the starling family Sturnidae. The species is also known as the Mount Apo starling or the Mount Apo king starling. It is the only member of the genus ''Goodfellowia''. It is endemic to the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

found only in the tropical

montane forests Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial f ...

Mindanao Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...

. It is threatened by

habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

Taxonomy and description

The species was formerly classified in the genus ''Basilornis'', but in 2021 the IOC reclassified it into ''Goodfellowia'', the genus it was initially described in, based on the results of phylogenetic studies. The genus name honors ornithologist

Walter Goodfellow Walter Goodfellow (1866–1953) was a British zoological collector and ornithologist. Career Goodfellow began his career as a wildlife collector by collecting specimens for museums, but later concentrated on capturing live birds for private aviar ...

, while the specific name is

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

for wonderful or strange. The Apo myna is a long-tailed starling, long and weighing around . The plumage is mostly glossy black, except for the lower back which is white. The feathers on the head are degenerate and form a floppy crest. There is a large patch of bare yellow skin around the eye and on the cheek creating a distinctive mask. The bill and legs are yellowish. Both the sexes are alike. Juvenile birds resemble adults but have less glossy plumage and have a buff edge to the feathers.Craig, A. & Feare, C. (2017). Apo Myna (''Basilornis mirandus''). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/60815 on 19 March 2017). Apo Myna - Mindanao - Philippines H8O1095 (22409185609)

Apo Myna - Mindanao - Philippines H8O1095 (22409185609)

Behaviour

Little is known about the behaviour of this species. It eats berries and insects, and forages singly, as pairs or in small groups. Two nests have been found for this species, both in the holes excavated by

woodpecker Woodpeckers are part of the bird family Picidae, which also includes the piculets, wrynecks, and sapsuckers. Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Madagascar, and the extreme polar regions. ...

s into trees. One of these nests was off the ground and made of twigs and leaves. They are often seen perching on snags sometimes in flocks of up to 20 to 50 birds mixing with other forest species such as coletos. Ebird describes its voice as "slurred metallic warbles and a sharp, falling 'tsik!' Also makes audible wing beats in flight."

Habitat and conservation status

It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

in the south Philippines. Its natural

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

tropical is moist

montane forest Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial ...

s above . It is assumed that the species is non-migratory. The Apo myna is listed as

near threatened A near-threatened species is a species which has been categorized as "Near Threatened" (NT) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as that may be vulnerable to endangerment in the near future, but it does not currently qualify f ...

by the IUCN. It is common in some protected areas, but it has a small and fragmented range, and is becoming rare across some of its range. It is relatively secure for the present, as its habitat is remote and rugged. It is still affected by some logging and clearance for agriculture that may have occurred in lower parts of the elevational range. It is also potentially threatened by mining. Conservation actions proposed include: surveying range to determine current distribution and abundance, as well as assessing the population and impact of habitat loss; conducting ecological studies to improve understanding of its habitat — particularly, its tolerance to habitat degradation; protecting areas of suitable habitat, especially at lower elevations within the species' altitudinal range, and safeguarding against logging and encroachment.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2194418 Apo myna Birds of Mindanao Apo myna Taxonomy articles created by Polbot