Author: Adri Constantino

Dung-on-a-twig: Mistletoe and Birds
[Part 3]

This is the last installment for our series on mistletoes and birds. This Fire-breasted Flowerepecker from Mt. Kitanglad demonstrates the same behavior exhibited by this Pygmy Flowerpecker from Mt. Makiling and and this Buzzing Flowerpecker from Mt. Polis. On the first and second segments of the video, the bird poops out the very sticky substance containing mistletoe seeds then wipes it off a branch. This is how mistlestoes are propagated and just shows the importance of birds in regenerating our forests. This Fire-breasted Flowerpecker is a high-elevation, uncommon, resident bird that ranges from the Himalayas to Southern China, Taiwan, Southeast Asia and the Philippines. Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, Dicaeum ignipectus September 2010 & January 2011, Mt. Kitanglad, Bukidnon, Philippines

a calling Rufous-headed Tailorbird [HD]

The Rufous-headed Tailorbird is one of the 10 tailorbirds ranging in the Philippines. The one featured here is a high elevation Mindanao endemic and can be seen singly, in pairs or sometimes in mixed flocks in montane forests above 800 meters. It was previously lumped with Mountain Tailorbird but some naturalists treat this heterolaemus race as a separate species based on the differences in plumage and bird calls from birds from Luzon and Palawan. This individual was videoed in one of the country's best birding spots: Mt. Kitanglad Range in Bukidnon, Mindanao, Southern Philippines. Digiscoping note: Here is an example of a bird that is difficult to photograph using a digiscoping set-up. Firstly, this bird is very small, 4 1/2 inches from the tip of the beak to the end of the tail so getting it to fill the frame will be quite a challenge. Secondly, this tailorbird is very active and skittish and will not perch on a spot for very long so you'll have to be quick in order to get usable shots. It is very difficult to get but it can be done with the right equipment, lots of patience and practice (and luck). It also pays to know the habit of the bird so you can somewhat predict where the bird will perch next. Happy digiscoping! Rufous-headed Tailorbird, Orthotomus heterolaemus September 2010, Mt. Kitanglad Range, Bukidnon, Mindanao, Philippines

Dung-on-a-twig: Mistletoe and Birds
[Part 2]

This is the continuation of the blog post: Dung-on-a-twig: Mistletoe and Birds last week. Here is another video showing how mistletoes are propagated. This time a Pygmy Flowerpecker, Dicaeum pygmaeum does the job of pooping the very sticky mistletoe seeds and wiping it off a branch. The Pygmy Flowerpecker is a common and widespread endemic ranging in most Philippine Islands including Palawan. This flowerpecker is particularly fond of Loranthus mistletoe and prefers lowland forest up to 1000 meters. The call is similar to tapping two pebbles together and is given almost continuously while foraging on fruiting and flowering trees. See the bird stretching first and then pooping next at around 0:40 into the video clip. Next week: Last installment for this series. Happy birding! Pygmy Flowerpecker, Dicaeum pygmaeum January 2011, Mt. Makiling, Laguna, Philippines

White-cheeked Bullfinch [HD]

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 the Mindanao endemic 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]

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! **Update: Check the rest of this series here: Part 2: Pygmy Flowerpecker Part 3: Fire-breasted Flowerpecker Buzzing Flowerpecker (immature), Dicaeum hypoleucum July 2010, Mt. Polis, the Cordilleras, Northern Luzon, Philippines

Hummingbird? No…
 Handsome Sunbird, Yes!

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

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]

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]

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 Video by Nicky Icarangal, JR. Digiscoped with a Swarovski ATM 80 HD, Canon Powershot S95 with Swarovski UCA.

Elegant Tit, anyone?

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!