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Kingfishers of the Philippines

During the lockdown, one of our more successful posts is our series about kingfishers. For two weeks, we highlighted our endemic and non endemic Philippine kingfishers: their distribution, population status as well as some tidbits of trivia about their behavior.

Today, we are sharing with you a poster summarizing all the recorded kingfishers of the Philippines. Feel free to download or share away the poster. If you want a printer-friendly version: kindly click here to download: Kingfishers of the Philippines

The Kingfisher family (Alcedinidae) is one of the most well loved families in the avian world probably due to their bright and boldly patterned plumage. Their colors are usually dominated with blues, greens and orange-y browns. Their massive, pointy beaks are effective weapons in catching their prey. Contrary to their name, not all kingfishers feed on fish; they have a wide variety of diet ranging from small crabs, lizards & geckoes, snails, even small mammals and small birds. Several species of kingfishers live in habitats quite close to water, but there are kingfishers who prefer forest and woodland habitats.

In the Philippines, we have 19 species of kingfishers, with 11 species found only to to our country. If you want to revisit our previous, individual, detailed posts about our Philippine kingfishers, kindly just search for our hashtag #kingfisherweek at our Birding Philippines Facebook page.

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Copyright Text and Photos: Adrian M. Constantino / www.birdingphilippines.com
South Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher, Dimorphic Dwarf Kingfisher and Blue-capped Wood Kingfisher: Photo by Nicky Icarangal. Jr. / www.birdingphilippines.com
North Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher, Sacred Kingfisher: Photo by Sylvia T. Ramos / www.tonjiandsylviasbirdlist.com
Black-capped Kingfisher (from Hong Kong): Photo by Clemn Macasiano

References:
1) A Naturalist Guide to the Birds of the Philippines by Tanedo, Hutchinson, Constantino and Constantino. John Beaufoy Publishing. https://amzn.to/3iVwVDr

#birdingphilippines #birdsofthephilippines #wildbirdsofthephilippines #philippinebirds #birdingph #phbirding

Part 2: Tailorbirds of the Philippines: Mindanao

This is part 2 of a three part series. See part 1 here. The island of Mindanao is the second largest island in the Philippines (after Luzon) and has several species of endemic tailorbirds. The tailorbirds here are quite diversified and are restricted to certain parts of the island as well as altitudinal range restrictions. First off the list is Rufous-fronted Tailorbird. This used to belong to the Philippine Tailorbird complex and was split 4-ways following the Clements' checklist. This tailorbird is confined the lowland forests of Mindanao and can also be found in neighboring Samar, Leyte and Bohol.

And then we have the Black-headed Tailorbird, a lowland species found in the eastern parts of Mindanao in Agusan, Surigao and Eastern Davao provinces. The most reliable place to see this bird is in PICOP, Surigao del Sur.

Then there is the White-headed Tailorbird that is confined to the lowland to middle elevation forests of Western, Central and Southern Mindanao. This tailorbird is very similar to Black-headed Tailorbird as well as the Bohol-only Yellow-breasted Tailorbird when it comes to plumage and call.

Lastly, we have the Rufous-headed Tailorbird. This is a Phyllergates tailorbird meaning they are not true tailorbirds and are more related to Cettia bush warblers like the Mountain Tailorbirds of Luzon. The Rufous-headed Tailorbird is endemic to high elevation mountains of Mindanao like Mt. Kitanglad in Bukidnon, Mt. Apo in Davao and other mountains above 800 meters.

Next part: Tailorbirds from other Philippine Islands

Sulu Hornbill

This is the critically-endangered Sulu Hornbill, Anthracoceros montani This hornbill species is endemic to the islands of Tawi-Tawi, Sulu and Sanga Sanga. According to Birdlife International and the IUCN, this species "faces the possibility of imminent extinction" mainly due to the destruction of its forest home. The population estimate is around 40 individuals and most of the birds can now be seen only in the island of Panglima Sugala, in Tawi-Tawi. The Sulu and Sanga Sanga populations are believed to be extirpated. Many thanks to the Municipality of Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi and the MBLT-9. Sulu Hornbill, Anthracoceros montani June 2017, Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines Video by Nicky Icarangal, Jr. Digiscoped with a Swarovski ATX 30-70x 95 spotting scope, Panasonic GH4 with Swarovski APO-TLS adapter with RODE VideoMic Pro. For more videos and pictures of Philippine birds, kindly visit www.birdingphilippines.com #birdingphilippines #wildwednesdays #suluhornbill #tawitawi #itsmorefuninthephilippines

A calling Sulu Hawk-Owl

This is a Sulu Hawk-Owl, one of the Philippines' 24 owl species. This endemic owl was videoed on the island of Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi province. The Sulu Hawk-Owl is endemic to the Sulu Archipelago, a group of islands located in the south western Philippines very close to the island of Borneo. The Sulu Archipelago has been treated as a separate Endemic Bird Area (EBA) due to several species of birds that are found only in this region and nowhere else. The other endemic species in the area include the Sulu Hornbill, Sulu Bleeding-heart Pigeon, Blue-winged Racket-tail, Sulu Pygmy Woodpecker and Tawi-tawi Brown-Dove. Aside from the birds, this is the only place in the Philippines where you can see Slow Loris. The Sulu Archipelago is also known for their unspoiled beaches and amazing marine life. Unfortunately, a big part of the Sulu Archipelago (the island groups of Jolo and Basilan) have been subject to years of conflict between terrorist groups and Philippine military forces. Proper planning and coordination with Philippine authorities should be made in advance if you desire to see these birds. Sulu Hawk-Owl Ninox reyi November 2015, Panglima Sugala, Tawi Tawi, Philippines Video by Nicky Icarangal, JR. Digiscoped with a Swarovski ATX 95 HD, Panasonic GH3 with Swarovski TLS-APO adapter.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

from your friends at

Birding Adventure Philippines!

Philippine Hawk-Cuckoo mobbed by a Black-naped Monarch

The Philippine Hawk-Cuckoo is a Philippine endemic ranging from the lowlands up to high elevations from the major islands of the Philippines. It was formerly lumped with the Hodgson's Hawk-Cuckoo but now regarded as as a separate species due to the difference in vocalizations. The breeding biology of Philippine Hawk-Cuckoo is poorly studied but it is most likely a nest parasite. It is a medium-sized bird, almost 12 inches from beak to tail but here it is being mobbed by a smaller Black-naped Monarch. The monarch most likely is defending a nearby nest while the cuckoo is just having his breakfast! Philippine Hawk-Cuckoo, Cuculus pectoralis August 2013, Eden Nature Park, Toril, Davao, Mindanao, Philippines Video by Adrian Constantino Digiscoped with a Swarovski 80 ATM HD, Panasonic G3, Panasonic 20 mm F1.7 lens, Swarovski UCA (Universal Camera Adapter)

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

from your friends at

Birding Adventure Philippines!

A regurgitating Writhed Hornbill [HD]

This is a video of a male Writhed Hornbill regurgitating a fig fruit in the slopes of Mt. Apo Natural Park. The Writhed Hornbill is a Mindanao endemic and prefers lowland forests up to 1200 meters. Just like most hornbills, they nest in the cavities of tall trees, enclosing the female hornbill in using mud, while the male hornbill delivers food both to the female and the chicks, cleans the nest, and does other chores. Regurgitation is the major strategy of the male hornbill when feeding a nesting female and chicks enclosed in its nest. This Writhed Hornbill, plus the majestic Rufous Hornbill and the smaller Mindanao Taricitc Hornbill completes the Mindanao hornbill trio. Writhed Hornbill, Aceros leucocephalus March 2014, Mt. Apo Natural Park, Davao, Mindanao, Philippines Video by Nicky Icarangal, JR. Digiscoped with a Swarovski 95 STX HD, Panasonic GH3, Swarovski APO-TLS

Orange-tufted Spiderhunter

This is a short video of an Orange-tufted Spiderhunter resting after a few minutes of feeding in the forest canopy. This is a Philippine endemic ranging only in the islands of Mindanao, Bohol, Samar and Leyte and is a recent split from the Little Spiderhunter complex. With the new and updated IOC list, the Orange-tufted Spiderhunter has become one of the three endemic spiderhunters in the Philippines, together with Naked-faced Spiderhunter (endemic to Luzon and Mindanao) and Pale Spiderhunter (endemic to Palawan). Spiderhunters are omnivorous. As the name implies, they prefer to pluck small spiders from the center of spiderwebs, as well as forage for other small insects such as crickets and butterflies in the forest canopy. Their long, decurved bills together with the long and thin tongue (check it out at around 0:35 into the video) also enable them to drink nectar from flowers, a trait shared with sunbirds, their close relatives. Orange-tufted Spiderhunter, Arachnothera flammifera June 2014, Eden Nature Park, Toril, Davao, Mindanao, Philippines Video by Adrian Constantino Digiscoped with a Swarovski 80 ATM HD, Panasonic G3, Panasonic 20 mm F1.7, Swarovski UCA

Short-crested Monarch [HD]

Two of the most sought-after birds on any birding trip to the Philippines are our two endemic monarchs, Celestial Monarch and Short-crested Monarch. The Celestial Monarch is definitely a very-good looking bird (see our video here) and is always a candidate for the bird of the trip but others prefer its equally gorgeous cousin: the Short-crested Monarch. To kick off the new birding year, we would like to share our video of a Short-crested Monarch pair starting to build their nest. Short-crested Monarch, Hypothymis helenae March 2013, PICOP, Surigao del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines