ANTIQUE – This province joined the nationwide annual conduct of Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) 2023 on Jan. 12 to 13 and Jan. 17 to 20 in areas frequented by waterbirds in southern and northern Antique, respectively.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (DENR-PENRO) development management officer Rocelia Campos said the activity aimed to provide basis for the count of the waterbird population, their conservation status, and monitoring of the changes in the number of species distribution.
The activity was also able to identify and monitor sites important for waterbirds and promote awareness of the importance of waterbirds to the ecosystem.
Senior environmental management specialist Jennifer Juliano of Antique PENRO who was also with the team during the bird-watching activity emphasized that being part of the wetland ecosystems, their presence, counts and trends are an indicator of the health and quality of a wetland.
Wetlands provide feeding, resting, roosting, and foraging habitats for these species.
The sites covered during the census included all types of natural and man-made wetlands, including ponds and rice fields.
Migratory birds such as Cattle egret, Black winged Stilt and Grey heron were recorded.
Resident birds such as Brahminy kite eagle, Blue-tailed bee-eater, Zebra turtle dove, and King fisher were also present.
For northern Antique, the place visited were Mag-aba, Pandan and Union, Libertad with a total of 276 birds and 24 species counted on the two identified sites.
These bird species were Collared kingfisher, Common sandpiper, Red turtle dove, Common kingfisher, Barred rail, Purple heron, Philippine duck, Little egret, Barn swallow, Eastern reef egret, Intermediate egret, Great egret, Straited heron, Black-winged stilt, Rofous night heron, Eurasian whimbrel, Kentish plover, Grey-tailed tattler, Grey heron, Swiflet, Javan pond heron, Wandering whistling duck, White-breasted wood swallow.
The census was spearheaded by the DENR-PENRO, DENR-Community ENRO (CENRO) Belison and CENRO Culasi with the Antique PENRO and Office of the Provincial Veterinarian. (PIA/PN)
