Guided Birding and nature tours to the Philippines
Bird Videos
White-cheeked Bullfinch [HD]
Jun 8th
This White-cheeked Bullfinch Pyrrhula leucogenis is a high elevation Luzon, Negros and Mindanao endemic that favors the canopy and understory of montane forests above 1250 meters. This particular bird was seen feeding by the roadside in the highlands of Mt. Polis, the Cordilleras, Northern Luzon, Philippines last January during our trip with UK-based tour operator BIRDQUEST. The field guide lists this bird as uncommon but it is fairly noisy and conspicuous when feeding on mistletoe (yes, we have mistletoes in the Philippines) and dried sunflowers (just like it’s distant relative the Red-eared Parrotfinch with picture here and video here.)
White-cheeked Bullfinch, Pyrrhula leucogenis
January 2011, Mt. Polis, the Cordilleras, Northern Luzon, Philippines
Continuation of last post about mistletoes and birds up next. Check it out soon!
Dung-on-a-twig: Mistletoe and Birds
[Part 1]
Jun 5th
A mistletoe growing on a host tree. Photo by Marites Cervero
Yes, we have mistletoes here in the Philippines. Mistletoes are botanically interesting plants as they are hemiparasites (or partial parasites). They usually grow on trunks or branches of trees and send out roots that penetrate the host tree’s branches. They can generate their own food through photosynthesis but they can also extract some nutrients from their host tree.
Mistletoe comes from two Anglo-Saxon words: “Mistel” meaning dung and “tan” which is a word for twig. So, mistletoe means “dung-on-a-twig.” This name came about when early botanists observed mistletoe would often appear on a branch or twig where birds had left droppings.
And this is how mistletoes are spread: A bird (like this immature Buzzing Flowerpecker) eats the very sticky berry fruits of the mistletoe and then poops and wipes it off another branch. This flowerpecker, by the way is a common, widespread Philippine endemic found in most islands except Palawan.
Next week: another bird showing this interesting behavior. Happy birding!
Buzzing Flowerpecker (immature), Dicaeum hypoleucum
July 2010, Mt. Polis, the Cordilleras, Northern Luzon, Philippines
Hummingbird? No…
Handsome Sunbird, Yes!
Jun 2nd
Do we have hummingbirds in the Philippines?
This is one of the most frequently asked questions during our guided bird walks for the non-birder public. And to this we enthusiastically reply that what we have are sunbirds, feathered friends that are almost the same size, same diet, same habits and as equally charming as the hummingbirds from the Americas.
In fact, The Philippines has 12 kinds of sunbirds, 7 of which are endemic or found only in our country. They live in a wide array of habitats, among them the most common, garden-bird Olive-backed Sunbird, the mangrove-dwelling Copper-throated Sunbird from Palawan, the localized and high-elevation Apo Sunbird from Mindanao and this lowland forest-dwelling Handsome Sunbird from PICOP, Bislig, Surigao del Sur, Mindanao, among others.
The Handsome Sunbird is one of the smallest sunbirds in the Philippines and ranges in most Philippine islands except Palawan where it is replaced by the similarly-looking Lovely Sunbird. The sunbird featured here belongs to the bella race and can be seen frequenting flowering and fruiting trees in forest and forest edge, feeding on nectar and sometimes small insects.
Handsome Sunbird, Aethopyga bella
January 2011, PICOP Forest, Surigao del Sur, Mindanao Philippines
Mountain Shrike: a camera shy adult and an a preening immature
May 30th
Here is a video of an adult and an immature Mountain Shrike from Mt. Polis in the Cordilleras of Northern Luzon, Philippines.
The Mountain Shrike (or Grey-capped Shrike) is an uncommon endemic found only in the islands of Luzon, Mindoro and Mindanao. It inhabits montane forests, usually perched conspicuously in clearings and forest edge above 1000 meters. Like most shrikes, it is very aggressive and has been observed impaling its prey on thorny bushes.
The adult bird was videoed November 2010 while the immature bird was videoed July.
Mountain Shrike, Lanius validirostris
July and November 2010
White-eared Brown Dove [HD]
May 27th
The White-eared Brown Dove is the most common brown dove in the Philippines. The soft hoot-ho hoot-ho hoot-hoot-hoot-hoot-hoot-hoot is often heard once you enter second growth lowland and montane forests. It feeds on small fruits and berries including peppers and ranges in most Philippine islands except the Palawan island group.
White-eared Brown Dove Phapitreron leucotis
September 2010, Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park, Bukidnon, Mindanao
A singing Melodious Babbler [in HD]
May 23rd
Sometimes the beauty of a bird lies not in its plumage or color but in its song.
Definitely the case for this Palawan endemic songster: the uncommon Melodious Babbler, Malacopteron palawanense. The field guide describes it as a very vocal, but shy and hard to see bird as it prefers the understory and canopy of low trees in second growth forest and forest edge, perching in dense tangles and vines. Though this beautiful bird maybe just plain brown and drab, the song is a harmonious melody described as a 5-note rhythmic whistle sounding much like “I can see you there.” The call’s description probably came from the birds habit of not showing itself completely, preferring to stay in the dense tangles and mocking all birders trying to locate it. 
Melodious Babbler Malacopteron palawanense
February 2011, Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines
Elegant Tit, anyone?
May 16th
Here is another short video clip: an Elegant Tit singing its heart out in cool and breezy Mt. Polis, the Cordilleras, Luzon, Philippines.
The Elegant Tit is a widespread Philippine endemic that can be found in most islands of the Philippines except Palawan (where it is replaced by the equally-charming Palawan Tit). It is one of the core species of mixed flocks, and is usually seen feeding with Philippine Bulbul, Sulphur-billed Nuthatch, and Blue-headed Fantail (in Luzon) and Black and Cinnamon Fantail (in Mindanao).
Though common, it is a pretty bird to watch and hear with its distinctive yellow and black plumage and its nice, melodious, always cheerful song. Another thing nice about this bird is that once you hear it calling, chances are there are other small birds present as well. Happy birding week everyone!
The stunning Celestial Monarch in HD
May 12th
The Celestial Monarch is one of the most-sought after birds after the Great Philippine Eagle in any birding trip to the Philippines. The excellent field guide “A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines” by Robert Kennedy, et al. describes it as “gorgeous” with its bright cerulean blue head with long slender crest feathers swaying in the wind down its cobalt blue back. When excited, the crest feathers rise up.
This rare endemic can be found in the lowland forests of Luzon, Samar, Negros, Tawi-tawi and Mindanao where it forages singly or in mixed flocks in the middle and upper canopy of forests and forest edge. In Mindanao, where this video was taken, it is often mixed in feeding flocks together with Short-crested Monarchs, Blue Fantails, and Rufous Paradise Flycatchers.
Sadly, the number of these beautiful endemics have been declining rapidly as a consequence of widespread and continuing habitat destruction of its lowland forest home. The continuous whirring of chainsaws that can be heard in the video remains as the biggest threat to this cerulean jewel of our forest.
Celestial Monarch, Hypothymis coelestis
January 2011, PICOP Forest, Surigao del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines
Philippine Hawk-Owl calling [HD]
May 2nd
From the highlands of Mindanao, we go to the lowlands of Luzon: a video clip of a Philippine Hawk-Owl Ninox philippensis calling.
Owls and other nocturnal birds are probably the least studied wildlife in the Philippines. And the Philippines has a LOT of nocturnal birds, like this Luzon Scops Owl from Mt. Polis and this Philippine Scops Owl from Northern Sierra Madre and this bizarre looking Palawan Frogmouth as well as this Philippine Frogmouth from Mindanao.
Aside from the difficulty of observing them in the night, a lot of Filipinos are afraid of owls: many locals have this superstitious belief that owls are harbingers of bad luck and death. Sadly, as a result of these superstitions, many owls are caught or killed.
Probably the reason why a lot of locals are afraid of owls is because of their weird, growling calls. While birders will get out of their beds upon hearing these sounds in the middle of the night, for non-birders, hearing a sound like this in the darkness of the forest is enough to send shivers down the spine.
Philippine Hawk-Owl Ninox philippensis
Tongue-rolling Red-eared Parrotfinch [HD]
Apr 26th
Here is a video of a pair of one of my favorite birds : the Red-eared Parrotfinch.
Red-eared Parrotfinches are high-elevation Mindanao endemics that favor the forest understory and cogon and sunflower patches near the forest edge. Though the field guide for Philippine birds lists it as a “locally common” bird, it can be difficult to spot as it prefers the dense underbrush and its green plumage and small size blends well in its surroundings.
The first segment maybe the first ever video of an immature parrotfinch while the rapid ticking call tik-tik-tik-tik of the male bird can be heard at around 1:00. Tongue-rolling at around 1:20. The calls of Philippine Bulbul and Mountain White-eyes can also be heard in the background.
Aside from the Red-eared Parrotfinch, Mt. Kitanglad in Mindanao is also good for the Great Philippine Eagle, Apo and Grey-hooded Sunbirds, Cinnamon Ibon, funky-looking Apo Mynah, and many more. Check out our Birds from Mindanao gallery for more.
For more videos, using our Swarovski Digiscoping Rig, please visit our videos page here.
