BY KIM ATIENZA
On the last week of October, Manila Bulletin Lifestyle carried a picture story about the sighting and photographing of a rare bird at the EPIC PARC Rainforest in Tanay, Rizal.
The beautiful, adorable red bird turned out to be a North Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher.
As its name suggests, this bird is endemic to the Philippines.
Its population, however, is fast dwindling and is down to anywhere between 10 to 20,000, according to recent estimates.
North Philippine Dwarf Kingfishers are usually found in subtropical or tropical moist rainforests.
Extensive lowland deforestation, however, has put their habitat under threat.
Wildlife photographer Edwin Martinez considers himself lucky to have spotted and photographed such a rare bird in a place not too far from Metro Manila.
He believes there may be a rise in these birds’ population.
“It is a rare bird, one of the most sought after among bird photographers,” he says.
According to Edwin, spotting, much less photographing, a North Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx melanurus) can be quite difficult. They are secretive by nature.
TRIVIA PA MORE (Various Sources): Most hummingbirds weigh less than a coin.
Bats eat only overripe fruits, which is good as they can control the spread of fruit flies.
Send your questions on anything and everything to Kuya Kim through my Twitter account @kuyakim_atienza using #AlaminKayKuyaKim.
