The Mindoro Scarlet-collared FlowerpeckerDicaeum retrocinctum— an alleged single island endemic

The Scarlet-collared FlowerpeckerDicaeum retrocinctumof the Philippine island of Mindoro has been sighted nine times on neighbouring Panay (1992) and twice on Negros (1993, 1994). The possibility that these new records and others in the recent past reflect changes in the Philippine biota due to the rampant destruction of forests deserves close attention. Based on an inspection of museum skins ofD. retrocinctum(12 males, 14 females) there is discontinuous variation of the red neck collar consisting of three distinct variants which may be due to age differences.