The Samar crow (Corvus samarensis), formerly known as the small crow, is a passerine bird in the genus Corvus of the family Corvidae. It endemic to the islands of Samar and Mindanao in the Philippines. Its natural habitats are primary tropical moist lowland forest. It is now extremely rare and likely endangered. It is threatened by habitat loss and hunting.
| Samar crow | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Corvidae |
| Genus: | Corvus |
| Species: | C. samarensis
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| Binomial name | |
| Corvus samarensis Steere, 1890
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| Synonyms | |
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Description and taxonomy
editDescribed as a small and short tailed crow with bare facial skin and a distinctive whirring flight style found in pristine primary forests. Its call is described as a high pitched squeals not typical for a crow.
It is very similar to the Sierra Madre crow but it has a shorter and thinner bill, more intense black plumage and darker gray feathers on the base of its neck. It also differs in voice which is described as lower pitched and less squealing buzzing notes in comparison to the Sierra Madre crow. [1]
It was previously considered a subspecies of the Slender-billed crow (now Sunda crow), but phylogenetic evidence proved that the enter slender-billed crow species complex had multiple species and was split by the International Ornithologists' Union. This new species was recognized as the small crow, which contained two subspecies namely the Samar crow and the Sierra Madre crow, shortly after, these 2 subspecies were designated as their own distinct species. [2][3]
The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.[4] However, the Samar crows on Mindanao have not been recorded since the 1980s and may possibly be extinct. Due to a lack of records, this could possibly have represented a subspecies or even distinct species. The lone recording of a Samar crow in Mindanao by Robert Kennedy revealed a lower pitched call compared to the Samar crows on Samar but as this is just a single recording and there have not been any records in almost 50 years, its distinctiveness as a species or subspecies cannot be proven.[5]
Habitat and conservation status
editIt is found in tropical moist lowland forest where it is extremely intolerant of any disturbance.
IUCN has yet to assess this bird but due to their preference for pristine forest, general rarity and lack of records in the past decades in Mindanao it is safe to assume that this bird is threatened. Deforestation through illegal logging and slash-and-burn continues across most of its remaining habitat. It is also believed to face interspecific competition from Large-billed crow which is more aggressive and adaptable to disturbed habitats.
Occurs in only one protected area in the Samar Island Natural Park but actual protection and enforcement from illegal logging and hunting are lax[6]
References
edit- ^ Allen, Desmond (2020). Birds of the Philippines. Lynx. pp. 258–259.
- ^ "Species Updates – IOC World Bird List". Retrieved 2021-05-29.
- ^ Allen, Desmond (2020). Birds of the Philippines. Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-84-16728-32-9. OCLC 1286814135.
- ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (August 2024). "Crows, mudnesters, birds-of-paradise". IOC World Bird List Version 14.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ Allen, Desmond (August 21, 2024). "Samar Crow Comments". Facebook.
IOC has already split Sierra Madre Crow from Samar Crow. But Samar Crow includes 'Mindanao Crow', a bird that is almost unknown to science and hasn't been recorded for decades. It may well be extinct.
- ^ says, Lito Ijan (2012-02-01). "ASK THE EXPERTS". eBON. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
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