Bird of the Philippines: Mindanao Broadbill

Mindanao Broadbill (Eurylaimus steerii) is categorized by IUCN 2012 as vulnerable. BirdLife International 2012a, reported that population decline is primarily due to it's declining and fragmented population because of lowland deforestation, habitat destruction and forest fragmentation. Mindanao broadbill is a mindanao endemic and inhabits lowland forest with elevation below 1,200m.

Mindanao Broadbill has reportedly (pre 1980s) been to be seen in Mt. Matutum, (Birdlife International, 2012a), located in the province of South Cotabato, on the island of Mindanao, in the south of the Philippines. Mt. Matutum has been assessed as an Important Bird Area in 2001, and issuance of Presidential proclamation no. 552 declaring it as protected landscape (CEPF, 2012) making it a priority for conservation where it holds key birds species that are vulnerable to global extinction.

Habitat destruction has caused continued decline in the species population throughout its range thus, determining the true distribution, population and habitat preference of Mindanao Broadbill in Mt. Matutum is vital to initiate intervention measures.

Mindanao Broadbill belongs to order Passeriformes, family Eurylaimidae, genus Eurylaimus and species steerii. Other common english name is Wattled Broadbill.

Collar et al., 1999, gave a detailed description and field characteristics of Mindanao Broadbill describing it as a brightly coloured passerine with a measurement of 17cm long. The face heading towards the throat is black. The eyes are coloured green, surrounded by large skyblue wattle. It has a broad, pale blue bill. The crown is maroon-purple with a white nuchal collar on its border and the underparts are lilac. It has been recorded feeding on fruit, but there are also records of broadbill chasing and catching insects and beating them on a tree limb before swallowing.

Bird of the Philippines: Mindanao Broadbill

Mindanao Broadbill is widespread and fairly common over the island of Mindanao. It frequents the under and middle storeys of rainforests, deep woods, inside dense patches of remnant original dipterocarp forest and in mixed dipterocarp and secondary forests. It is a lowland bird with a highest recorded elevation of 1,200m (Birdlife International, 2012).

Birds of the Philippines: Philippine Eagle

Philippine eagle is known before as the monkey eating eagle.It belongs to kingdom Animalia, Phylum- Chordata, Class-Aves, Order-Falconiformes, Family-Accipitridae. Its scientific name is Pithecophaga jefferyi.

It is a giant forest raptor endemic to the Philippines. It has brown and white-coloured plumage, and a shaggy crest and generally measures 86 to 102 centimeters in length and weighs 4.7 to 8 kilograms.

Birds of the Philippines: Philippine Eagle

Philippine eagle is the rarest, largest and most powerful birds int he world. The IUCN red list categorized Philippine eagle as critically endangered. Philippine eagle is also the worlds rarest and certainely among its most critical endangered certebrate species. Due to massive loss of habitat due to deforestation in most of its range.

Philippine eagle are monogamous and they tend to bond for life. The Philippine Eagle Foundation based in Davao city. And is committed to promote the survival of the Philippine Eagle, the biodiversity it represents, and the sustainable use of our forest resources for future generations to enjoy.

Spotted Dove (Stigmatopelia chinensis)

I was able to encounter these Philippine Bird species in our expedition in Andanan watershed, Agusan del sur last 2007. I hope i had then my slr canon camera to have a photograph of these species. These species belongs to the Kingdom- Animalia, Phylum-Chordata, Class-Aves, Order-Columbiformes, Family-Columbidae. With the scientific name of Stigmatopelia chinensis. It is also called Spotted Turtle Dove.

IUCN red list categorized these species as least concern (LC). These has a wide range not only in the Philippines. It inhabits Terrestrial and freshwater areas. Just like any other doves, it feeds on the seeds and fruits.

Philippine Swiftlet - Collocalia mearnsi

I personally spotted these bird species in the highlands of Mt. Sambilikan, Agusan del Sur. Philippine swiftlets are usually flying high above the sky. Some of them was also spotted in the caves of Andanan watershed. The local people in the area are collecting its nest for birds nets soup.

These Philippine swiftlets species belongs to kingdom animalia, Phylum- Chordata, Class-Aves, Order-Apodiformes, Family Apodidae. Its scientific name is Collocalia mearnsi.

The IUCN red list categorized Philippine Swiftlet as least concern. Although endemic to the island of the Philippines. Their population is still in excellent condition that they are not in need of immediate conservation attention.

These Philippine swiftlets glide on the air to catch small insects as food. And usually inhabits the caves as their resting areas and where they usually built their nests. I wish I had a slr canon camera, to took more photograph of these Philippine Bird species

Common Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica)

Is a pigeon with a wide range of distribution. Aside from the Philippines where it was spotted in Mt. Sambilikan and Andanan watershed, Agusan del Sur, It is also found in Indian Subcontinent, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.These species belongs to Kingdom Animalia, Phylum-Chordata, Class-Aves, Order-Columbiformes, Family-Columbidae. Its scientific name is Chalcophaps indica.

It has categorized by the IUCN red list of threatened species as least concern. It has a stable population. It feeds on fallen fruits and seeds. They inhabit the rainforest and the wet woodlands, mangrove areas and coastal heath.

Its distinguishing features is the back and wings are colored emerald.

Purple heron (Ardea purpurea)

This is one of the birds species found in the Philippines. This heron belong to the Animal Kingdom, Phylum-Chordata, Class-Aves, Order-Pelecaniformes, Family-Ardeidae. With a scientific name of Ardea purpurea. The IUCN red list of threatened species classify these species are least concern. It does not approach the threshold of vulnerable. It has a wide range of distribution and can be seen across the globe.

These of purple heron photo is taken in Ebpanan Marsh, Maguindanao. Of which its common habitat are the wetlands. It has been observed that the species is always resting on the top of the water hyacinths. They rarely fly or transfer location. It is sometimes seen flying alone or in pairs. It feeds on frogs, insects, crustaceans, spiders, etc.
This is a large bird with length measurement up to 78-90 cm. And a wingspan of 120-152 cm.

Wandering Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arcuata)

This species belongs to the Kingdom Animalia, Phylum- Chordata, Class-Aves, Order- Anseriformes, Family- Anatidae. It's scientific name is Dendrocygna arcuata.

This bird species can be found in the Philippines, Australia, Indonesia. It has an extremely large range of distribution and does not approach the threshold of Vulnerable under the IUCN category. It is not threatened so does not need an immediate conservation concern. It not endemic to the Philippines.

The produce a loud whistling voice, where their name was derived. They mainly feed on grasses, waterlilies, water plants and occasionally insects and aquatic vertebrates.

This species is a pet of a local villeger in Ebpanan Marsh, Maguindanao. The species was caught in the thick water hyacinths of the marsh.

Pied Fantail (Rhiphidura javanica)

It belong to the Animal Kingdom, Phylum- Chordata, Class- Aves, Order-Passeriformes, Family- Rhipidura. Its scientific name is Rhipidura javanica with a common name of Pied Fantail. It is classified by IUCN as Least concern or its does not need immediate conservation intervention. So its is not threatened or endangered. Its is also not a Philippine Endemic.

This one of the common species of birds found in the Philippines. It has a wide range of population of Population and can also be seen in Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand.

It usually inhabits terrestrial areas. These photos was taken in a miniforest of MSU-Maguindanao. At around early morning.

These species love to fan out their long and beautiful tail. Their primary source of food is insects. They like to farage on the ground and catch insects.Their broadbill healps then catch insects even in the dark understory of the forest.

Java Sparrow (Padda oryzivora)

Java Sparrow is categorized by IUCN as Vulnerable. Due to its popularity that catching and hunting of these species was widely done. Leading to the rapid decline of its population. The These Species was caught along the rice paddies of MSU-Maguindanao. These was caught using the bare hands around 11 pm. It was resting in the Mango tree near the rice paddies.

It belongs to kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Class: Aves; Order: Passeriformes; Family: Estrildidae. It was once thought to be endemic in Indonesia, However, they are also found in other parts of the World including Philippines. These species usually feeds on the grains and seeds. It usually frequents cultivated and open areas.

There are some of these Java sparrow in Durrell wildlife zoo in Jersey, United Kingdom. In the Jersey zoo when I obsserve them, their seemed to stand, very different from what is in the Philippines. Where its feathers are so stick to its body. These might be because of the low temperature in the temperate areas and warm temperatures in the tropics

White-Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris)

These White-Collared Kingfisher is caught at the mini-forest of the College of Forestry and Environmental Studies at MSU-Maguindanao. It was caught early morning in the opening towards the mini-forest. In one of the laboratory activity we have with my student. We caught these Kingfisher using a mist nets.

These species are categorized by IUCN as least concern or they do not need an immediate attention for conservation. However, if their habitat destruction will continue to increase, definitely its population will decline also.

It belongs to Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Class: Aves; Order: Coraciiformes; Family: Alcedinidae. It is also called Mangrove Kingfisher. It is not only found in the Philippines but although southeast Asia. These species can usually be seen along rivers, freshwater areas, and streams within the forests. It usually feeds on small crabs, insects, worms, snails,shrips, frogs, and lizards.