Slaty-backed jungle flycatcher

Slaty-backed jungle flycatcher
Conservation status
Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Muscicapidae
Genus:	Vauriella
Species:	V. goodfellowi
Binomial name
Vauriella goodfellowi (Ogilvie-Grant, 1905)
Synonyms
Rhinomyias goodfellowi

The slaty-backed jungle flycatcher (Vauriella goodfellowi), also known as the Goodfellow's jungle flycatcher or the Mindanao jungle flycatcher is a species of bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found only on the island of Mindanao. The specific epithet honours the British zoological collector Walter Goodfellow. Its natural habitat is tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss

Description and taxonomy

EBird describes the bird as "A medium-sized bird of mossy montane forest understory on Mindanao. Large for a flycatcher. Dark brown above, with pale gray-brown chest and sides and a white throat and belly. Note the white spectacles and forehead with a thin black eye-ring and black line connecting the eye and bill. Somewhat similar to Chestnut-tailed Flycatcher, but found at higher elevations and has obvious black-and-white lines in front of the eye. Voice includes high-pitched metallic whistles and a sharp “tsik!”"

This species was previously placed in the genus Rhinomyias but was moved to Vauriella along with the White-browed jungle flycatcher of Luzon, the White-throated jungle flycatcher of West Visayas and the Eyebrowed jungle flycatcher of Borneo after a detailed molecular phylogenetic study published in 2010 found that Rhinomyias was polyphyletic.

Ecology and behavior

Not much information of its diet in the wild but includes small invertebrates. Forages silently close to the forest floor, typically along forest edge.

Birds in breeding condition and fledged young seen from February to October. No published comprehensive information at all about its breeding habits but this species is currently being studied by the Robert S. Kennedy Bird Conservancy and nests have been recorded in July.

An illustration by Gould, 1906

Habitat and conservation status

It occupies montane mossy forest above 1,000 meters above sea level where they are seen usually solitary o in pairs. It is unobtrusive as it typically sits motionless on the forest understorey usually close to the ground.

IUCN has assessed this bird as near threatened and the population is believed to be declining. It is rare within its range but may possibly be overlooked due to its sedentary habits. Its main threat is habitat loss through deforestation, mining, land conversion and slash-and-burn.

It is found in multiple protected areas such as Mount Apo and Kitanglad Mountain Range but like all areas in the Philippines protection is lax.

There are no species specific conservation plans at the moment but conservation actions proposed by the IUCN Red List are to do surveys to better understand population and range and to better protect its habitat.