Wattled Broadbill

The Wattled Broadbill, known scientifically as Sarcophanops steerii, is an endemic species native to the lowland forests of the Philippines. It was first described in the late 19th century by the British ornithologist Richard Bowdler Sharpe, who named the species in honor of the American zoologist Joseph Beal Steere. Steere was a pioneering naturalist whose expeditions through the Philippines in the 1870s resulted in the collection of numerous type specimens that significantly expanded Western understanding of island biogeography.

The bird is characterized by its distinct rounded wings and tail, physical traits that reflect its evolutionary adaptation to dense, humid forest canopies. Taxonomically, it belongs to the Eurylaimidae family, a group of birds recognized for their vibrant, often iridescent plumage and cryptic behavior. While the species was once more widespread, it is now considered vulnerable due to the ongoing fragmentation of its natural forest habitat, leading conservationists to prioritize it as an indicator species for the health of Philippine dipterocarp ecosystems.