• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A., Fishpool, L.D.C., Boesman, P. and Kirwan, G.M. 2016. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

Red List criteria met

Critically Endangered	Endangered	Vulnerable
-	-	-

Red List history

Year	Category	Criteria
2024	Least Concern
2016	Near Threatened	A2c+3c+4c;B1ab(iii);C2a(i)
2012	Near Threatened	A2c+3c+4c;B1ab(iii);C2a(i)
2008	Near Threatened	A2c; A3c; A4c; B1a+b(iii); C2a(i)
2004	Near Threatened
2000	Lower Risk/Near Threatened
1994	Lower Risk/Near Threatened
1988	Lower Risk/Least Concern

Migratory status	not a migrant	Forest dependency	high
Land-mass type	shelf island	Average mass	-

	Estimate	Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident)	54,400 km2	medium
Severely fragmented?	no	-

	Estimate	Data quality	Derivation	Year of estimate
Population size	unknown	-	-	-
Population trend	decreasing	poor	suspected	2016-2026
Rate of change over the past 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	1-9%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	1-9%	-	-	-
Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods)	1-9%	-	-	-
Generation length	2.29 years	-	-	-
Number of subpopulations	2-20	-	-	-
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation	1-89%	-	-	-

Population justification: The population size has not been quantified, although qualitatively the species is consistently regarded as relatively common or uncommon (Kennedy et al. 2000, del Hoyo et al. 2006, Allen 2020). Given the extensive clearance of native forest throughout its range, there can be little doubt that the population size is considerably smaller than it was historically, although many populations now lie in protected areas where they appear to be secure. Data from Leyte and Samar (outside Samar Island Natural Park) are few but eBird (2024) data indicate that it is common where found (as with other Orthotomus) and surveys on Samar found it at all (n=8) watershed forests surveyed (UNDP 2004). Across its range lies approximately 11,000 km² of  forest below 1,000 m (calculated by sRedList [2023] using data from Jung et al. [2020]), such that even if within this area it is highly localised, the population size is likely to be relatively large.

Trend justification: This species is almost entirely forest-dependent (Allen 2020) and is consequently thought to be impacted by forest clearance and degradation. On Bohol, contemporary degradation is minimal, despite historic clearance removing almost all native forest (that which remains is almost entirely confined to Raja Sikatuna National Park) (Collar et al. 1999). However, on Samar and Leyte, forest loss and degradation is ongoing, including within the limits of Samar Island Natural Park (see Hutchinson 2021, Global Forest Watch 2024). Remote sensing data (Global Forest Watch 2024, based on data from Hansen et al. [2013] and methods disclosed therein) suggest that over the past ten years (2012-2022) rates of forest cover loss in this species' range have been low (c.3%). While this does not account for degradation (e.g. Hutchinson 2021), much of the forest in this species' range for now remains intact (Grantham et al. 2020) and this species favours undergrowth; it is thus unlikely to be affected seriously by selective logging/degradation. Accordingly, rates of population reduction over the past ten years are suspected to be 1-9%. Similar rates are suspected to occur in the future.

Country/Territory	Presence	Origin	Resident	Breeding visitor	Non-breeding visitor	Passage migrant
Philippines	extant	native	yes

Country/Territory	IBA Name
Philippines	Anonang-Lobi Range
Philippines	Mount Cabalantian - Mount Capoto-an complex
Philippines	Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Forest	Subtropical/Tropical Moist Lowland	major	resident
Altitude	0 - 1000 m	Occasional altitudinal limits

Threat (level 1)	Threat (level 2)	Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Agro-industry farming	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (large scale) [harvest]	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation, Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting - Unintentional effects: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest]	Timing		Scope		Severity		Impact
		Ongoing		Minority (<50%)		Slow, Significant Declines		Low Impact: 5
		Stresses Ecosystem degradation

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Yellow-breasted Tailorbird Orthotomus samarensis. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/yellow-breasted-tailorbird-orthotomus-samarensis on 22/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/11/2024.