Birds of Malagos Watershed, Southeastern Philippines

Mindanao is considered one of the richest islands in the Philippines, due to high avifaunal biodiversity. Birds play a vital role in determining the condition of certain areas. The study is a morphological assessment of birds in Malagos watershed, Baguio District, Davao City. It sought to identify and classify the birds’ species; determine the distribution and compare the taxonomic listing of birds with previous avian surveys in the area. Using point count and mist netting effort, 54 species were identified belonging to 27 families. Three (3) new families were added to the list of previous studies. It included twelve Philippine endemic species, seven Mindanao endemic species, 32 resident species and four species of birds assessed as vulnerable and endangered. The area was also usually found in open and cultivated areas. A comparative study of three other avian surveys showed a steady increase in the population from 1994 to 2002 but a decline in the number of avian species was observed in the present study, a negative trend which is associated with habitat destruction and anthropogenic activities.

 

Keywords - biodiversity, birds, Malagos watershed, avifaunal