Apo Myna

The Apo myna, also known as the Mount Apo king starling, is a long-tailed starling about 30cm long. The plumage is mostly glossy black except for a white lower back, and the head feathers are degenerate and form a floppy crest. A big patch of bare yellow skin around the eye and cheek makes a distinctive mask, and the bill and legs are yellowish. The sexes look alike. It was moved back to its own genus, Goodfellowia, in 2021 (Wikipedia, general species account).

Little is known of its behaviour. It eats berries and insects and forages alone, in pairs or in small groups, and is often seen perched on snags, sometimes in flocks of 20 to 50 mixed with other forest birds. Two nests have been found, both in woodpecker holes. It lives only in the montane forests of Mindanao, and on this guide it is a highland target at Mount Apo. It is common in some protected areas but has a small, fragmented range, and remote, rugged terrain protects much of its habitat (Wikipedia, citing published sources).