BY JEN BAYLON
BACOLOD City – The Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), a rare migratory bird, has been spotted and recorded in Negros Occidental.
The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) made a rare sighting of the Pied Avocet foraging in the wetlands of Barangay Tabao, Sagay City on Jan. 17.
This sighting was recorded during the annual Asian Waterbird Census, an activity organized by PENRO-Negros Occidental as part of the International Waterbird Census. The primary objective of this event is to provide data on the conservation status and further enhance understanding of the importance of waterbirds.
Around January of last year, a lone Pied Avocet was also observed in the wetlands of Barangay Latasan, E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental, making it a unique visitor to the region. The species is known for its distinctive “appeal” of long bluish-grey legs, boldly pied plumage, and upturned, slender bill.
Pied Avocets are commonly found in estuaries, brackish lagoons, and coastal wetlands but can also be sighted in inland areas, particularly expansive lakes. They breed in small colonies and construct nest mounds, signaling the beginning of the nesting season.
Regional Executive Director Livino B. Duran of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources emphasized the critical role of the region’s wetlands and coastlines in providing a safe haven for diverse wildlife species.
Duran highlighted the importance of preserving these ecosystems to ensure that future generations will continue to appreciate the nesting sites of these bird species in the Philippines.
“Ang aton ecosystems sa sini nga mga duog dapat nga ma-preserve agud ang masunod nga mga henerasyon sarang pa maka-appreciate pa sa mga pispis nga nagapatupling sa Pilipinas sa places of origin,” Duran explained./PN
