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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider 3 rare Chinese Crested Terns spotted in Davao

3 rare Chinese Crested Terns spotted in Davao

Published Jan 26, 2023 02:55 pm

CHINESE CRESTED STERN (Wikipedia)

DAVAO CITY – Three extremely rare Chinese Crested Terns tagged as the “Bird of Legend” have been spotted this month in three areas of the Davao region, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Davao.

In a statement on Thursday, Jan. 26, the DENR-Davao said that the three migratory seabirds were seen in the wetlands of Carmen municipality and Panabo City in Davao del Norte and Barangay Bucana in Davao City.

The agency said the Chinese Crested Terns were first seen among the migratory birds visiting the coastal wetlands of Panabo in 2019.

Sightings of these birds in the region surprised conservationists who thought their species were already extinct.

“Some studies say that it was last seen in around 1937 and had unconfirmed sighting years after,” they added.

The agency said the birds made another appearance in Davao del Norte in 2021 and Davao City, particularly at the mouth of Davao River, in 2022 during the Annual Asian Waterfowl Census for migratory birds participated by DENR-Davao through the Protected Area Management and Biodiversity Conservation Section (PAMBCS).

The country regularly participates in the Asian Waterbird Census, along with Africa, Europe, Central, and West Asia, and Latin America under the umbrella of the International Waterbird Census.

“Amid threat from climate change and environmental degradation, waterbirds serve as bio-indicator of ecosystem changes,” the DENR-Davao said.

The agency added that Chinese Crested Terns could be Davao’s regular visitor after frequenting the region for three years.

The global population of “critically endangered” Chinese Crested Terns remains sparse “with only more or less a hundred of them left,” necessitating for a “close monitoring and extensive effort for its conservation through keeping an eye on its breeding colonies,” DENR-Davao said.

It said migratory seabirds “are usually seen migrating to the coastal wetlands in the Philippines in the first quarter of the year, during which its originating countries are on winter season which results to food scarcity.”

DENR-Davao said avians move to warmer regions “in search for warmth and sustenance.”

Conservationists also sighted other migratory birds such as Eurasian and Far Eastern Curlew in the region.

Related Tags

sighting Davao region DENR chinese crested tern rade birds
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