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🦅🕊🦜🦉🐦Birdwatching tourism 🐦🦉🦜🕊🦅
Also known as “avitourism” refers to travel where the main purpose is to observe birds in their natural habitat. It is also called “birding’’, refers to finding, observing, and identifying birds for educational and enjoyment purposes.

Birdwatching in the Philippines
The Philippines is a recognized mega-diversity area with a very high percentage tourism. There are 200 of over 600 bird species in the country listed as endemic, hence the Philippines positions itself as the newest birdwatching hotspot.
The rarity and diversity of the country's wild life is legendary, from the Cebu flowerpecker, Palawan peacock pheasant, Philippine eagle and more. Various local birdwatching sites are mentioned below.

References:
Collier, S. & Betton, K. (2021). The European Market Potential for Birdwatching Tourism. Retrieved from: https://www.cbi.eu/market-information/tourism/birdwatching-tourism/market-potential

https://www.cbd.int/countries/profile/?country=ph

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LOCAL SITE: Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary Nature Center

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LOCAL SITE: Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary Nature Center

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🐦LOCATION: Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, approximately 4km away from the Mactan Island.

🐦HISTORY:
•1987 - approximately 10,000 migratory birds was discovered in Olango Island.
•May 14, 1992 - the Philippine Presidential Proclamation 903 proclaimed Olango Island as protected area. This proclamation is one component of a republic act known as the National Protected Area System (NIPAS Act) of 1992.

🐦SIGNIFICANCE: Olango is the Philippines first wetland of international importance for waterfowl. Wetlands provide vital habitat for waterbirds, fish, frogs, invertebrates as well as mangrove forests and seagrass beds. Wetlands prevent flooding by holding water much like a sponge. It helps keep river levels normal and filter the water that passes through them. Hence, wetlands are vital to humans, plants, animals and to the environment.

🐦WHAT TO EXPECT:
•Best time for birdwatching: Sept-May, at least two hours before peak high tide in order to see the largest concentration of birds in small areas. During peak migration (Nov-Feb), approximately 40,000 migratory birds visit Olango.

•Facilities: very basic. No accommodation facilities within the mangrove reserve but there is a campsite area near the sanctuary office. There is one small bathroom inside the sanctuary office. No locker facilities. If you have a big bag and don't want to carry it when you go birdwatching, the guide can store it away for you. There is no kiosk or convenience store but staffs can organize fresh coconut as a drink.

•Cost: Php20 for local visitors, Php100 foreigners.
*Nature Walk / Trekking: Php20.00 per group
*The nature walk / trekking is a highly recommended option because you will be accompanied by a knowledgeable guide. The guide will advise the optimum time for birdwatching. The guide will have with them professional binoculars and long-range telescope in order to effectively spot the birds and identify the specie it belongs to. This activity lasts about an hour.

🐦RECOGNITIONS:
• First Ramsar Site (Wetland of International Importance) in the country during the Ramsar Convention in Ramsar, Iran. (Nov. 8, 1994)
•The Important Bird Area (IBA) also recognized Olango Island as one of the most important reservation or sanctuaries for birds and waterfowls in the whole of the Philippines in 2001.

🔎Referenc es:
http://www.olangowildlifesanctuary.org/faq.html#birdtime

https://www.travelingcebu.com/olango-island-wildlife-sanctuary.html

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LOCAL SITE: Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park (MKRNP)

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LOCAL SITE: Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park (MKRNP)

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Location: Sumilao, Bukidnon, Philippines

History:

2000 - MKRNP was declared a Protected Area through Republic Act No. 8978.

October 2009 - Mt. Kitanglad Range became the 28th ASEAN Heritage Park. Next to Mt. Apo Natural Park-the highest mountain in the country.

Background:
Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park (MKRNP) is one of the few remaining rainforests in the Philippines, hosting one of the most important diverse species of rare and endemic wildlife, most especially the Philippine Eagle which is now known as the country's national bird. It is also the home of Rafflesia schadenbergiana, the second largest flower in the world.

Site Description:
Mt Kitanglad National Park includes an extensive mountain range with about a dozen peaks. It contains large areas of montane and mossy forest.

Bird Species in the Area:
Apo Sunbird, McGregor’s Cuckooshrike, and the Mindanao Raquet-tail, Monkey-Eating Eagle, Blue-capped Wood Kingfisher, Mindanao lorikeet, Mindanao scops owl, Slaty-backed jungle-flycatcher, Red-eared parrotfinch, and Apo myna.

Compulsory:

All visitors are required to secure permit from the Office of Protected Area & Management Bureau (PAMB), PENRO Compound, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.

Request for Visitor's permit must be filed 10 days prior to the actual date of visit/entry at the office of the PAMB.

Permit Fee:
Adult- PHP1000/peak/person (2D1N)
PHP2000 (3D2N)
PHP3000 (4D3N)
Senior Citizens & 12 years old below   PHP500

Exit Fee- PHP500

References:
https://asean.chm-cbd.net/protected-areas/mt-kitanglad-range-national-park

https://forestry.denr.gov.ph/b+wiser/index.php/sites/mount-kitanglad-range-natural-park

https://wikitravel.org/en/Mount_Kitanglad_Range_Natural_Park

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Winchell's Kingfisher or the Rufous-lored Kingfisher 

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LOCAL SITE: Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape

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LOCAL SITE: Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape

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Location: Bilar, Bohol, Philippines

Date Established:

July 10, 1987 (National park)

April 23, 2000 (Protected landscape)

Site Description:

The Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape is a protected landscape area in the Philippines' Central Visayas region, consisting of forested limestone hills, grasslands, and natural springs.

It is Bohol's largest remaining natural forest and one of the best bird watching spots in the Philippines.

Wildlife: It is also the home to over 120 bird species. Many of which are endemic to the Philippines, which include the endangered  streaked reed warbler and Philippine cockatoo, as well as the Philippine hawk-eagle, Visayan broadbill, Samar hornbill, Mindanao bleeding-heart, Philippine eagle-owl, Philippine oriole, Philippine frogmouth, azure-breasted pitta, rufous-tailed jungle flycatcher, rufous-lored kingfisher, southern silvery kingfisher, yellow-breasted tailorbird, yellow-bellied whistler, black-crowned babbler, Philippine hanging parrot, Philippine fairy-bluebird, Philippine trogon and Philippine leaf warbler.

Accessibility: The park is around 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of Tagbilaran, the island's capital and main city. It is easily accessible by an 8-kilometer route leading from either the Tagbilaran–Corella–Sikatuna–Loboc Road or the Tagbilaran East Road from Panglao, which also leads to the Chocolate Hills.

Cost: With a minimal entrance of P20.00, tourists can explore the several trails set up for nature hikes and bird watching.

Trivia: The site was named after a Bohol chieftain, Datu Sikatuna, who signed a blood agreement with Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi in 1565 on the island.

References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajah_Sikatuna_Protected_Landscape

https://www.bohol-philippines.com/rajah-sikatuna-national-park.html

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INTERNATIONAL SITE: Manu National Park, Peru

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INTERNATIONAL SITE: Manu National Park, Peru

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LOCATION: Madre de Dios, Peru

HISTORY:

It is a birdwatchers’ paradise, and many eco-tourists visit the reserve specifically to watch birds. Manu’s landscape has changed since its pristine early years, and several animal and plant species have become endangered since the rubber boom.

1967 - the Peruvian government signed an agreement with other American countries to establish national parks to promote conservation of regional flora and fauna. This agreement specified that the park “covered more than half the country contained the greatest number of Peru's wide range of animals and birds, uninhabited and unaffected by the operations of hunters, lumbers, or colonists including every biotope from the riverside forests of the Amazon's main tributaries."

1968 - Manu was declared a National Reserve, and five years later, it was upgraded to a National Park.

Manú National Park was established by decree on 29 May 1973; during the dictatorship of General Juan Velasco.

1977 - UNESCO recognised it as a Biosphere Reserve and in 1987, as a World Heritage Site.

2002 - the Peruvian government increased the extension of the park to its current area.

GEOGRAPHY: Manu National Park covers an area of 1,716,295.22 hectares (17,162.95 km2) which comprises mountainous areas (traversed by creeks and valleys) with elevations close to 4000 m above sea level and a portion of the Amazon Basin plains.

SITE DESCRIPTION:

Manu National Park is known for having the highest biodiversity of any international protected site. This national park is a key conservation unit for birds in Peru and has been chosen as one of the top ten best bird watching spots in the world.

It  is a globally renowned haven of terrestrial biodiversity at the meeting point of the Tropical Andes and the Amazon Basin in South-western Peru.

In total, over 1000 species of birds have been recorded in the area. Prior to being labelled as a protected area by the Peruvian government, Manu National Park remained conserved as a result of its inaccessibility.

The birds found in the site are diverse species of hummingbirds, herons, parrots, and the most striking of all: the Andean Cock-of-the-rock, Peru’s national bird. Manu is the heart of Peru’s Amazon and the world’s top biodiversity hotspot, attracting wildlife enthusiasts from across the world for a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

SAMPLE TOUR OVERVIEW:

Length: 7 days

Starting city: Cusco

Ending city: Cusco

Difficulty degree: easy
Focus: Photography, flora, fauna and Bird Watching

Max group size per tour guide: 8+ 1 leader, when groups are bigger we do add an additional tour guide to the group.

SAMPLE TOUR PRICE
7day Tour to Manu Park by bus in and out
Number and Price per Person
1 person ($1200.00)
2 people ($1200.00)
3 people ($1100.00)
4 people ($950.00)
5 people+ ($850.00)

REFERENCES:
https://www.peruforless.com

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/402/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man%C3%BA_National_Park