Endemic Birds Birding Birdwatching Tours

The Philippines is a veritable bird watching mecca that can lay claim as having the most number of endemic bird species per square kilometer, greater than Indonesia and Brazil. It's sad though that many of them are listed as either threatened or endangered species. Foremost among these is the majestic Philippine Eagle.

The country also lies in the path of bird migration with Candaba, Pampanga,
Olango Island in Cebu and Agusan Marsh in Mindanao, where thousands of migratory birds from Japan and mainland Asia escape the winter.

In Metro Manila, the University of the Philippines (UP) campus, you can spot a number of birds besides the ubiquitous maya (rice bird): blue-winged kingfishers, orange-tinged Cattle Egret, Barred Rail, White Breasted Waterhen, Brush Cuckoo, Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker, the colorful Colasisi, andAshy Ground Thrush.

Bird Watching Sites in Metro Manila:

University of the Philippines (UP) campus, Quezon City
Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU), Quezon City
Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat
Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City

For serious bird watchers, there is now the “Birdwatching in the Philippines” manula that serves as a guide to several bird-watching sites:

Puerto Princesa City’s Subterranean River National Park;
Rasa Island (Narra, Palawan);
Hundred Islands National Park;
Bangrin Marine Protected Area (Bani, Pangasinan);
Subic Bay Freeport Zone;
Balanga City (Bataan);
Candaba Marsh (Pampanga);
Mt. Palay-Palay National Park (Ternate, Cavite);
Villa Escudero (Tiaong, Quezon),
Alcoy Forest (Cebu);
Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat
Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary (Lapu-Lapu City) and the
Philippine Eagle Center (Davao City).

Bird Waching Tours and Packages:

Wild Bird Club of the Philippines who organizes the annual Philippine Bird Festival
http://www.birdwatch.ph/

Haribon
http://haribon.ph

“A Guide to the Birds of the Philippines” by Robert S. Kennedy, Pedro C. Gonzales, Edward C. Dickinson, Hector C. Miranda Jr. and Timothy H. Fisher.

“Birdwatching in the Philippines” Volume 1 produced by the Department of Tourism in cooperation with the Wild Bird Club and the Recreational Outdoor Exchange. The bird watching manual written by Carlos M. Libosada Jr., book design by Robert Alejandro illustrated by Arnel Telesforo and many photographs from a team of professional photographers cum bird-watchers.