ANOTHER rare migratory bird was spotted feeding on the shores of Tanza Marine Tree Park (TMTP) in Navotas City last week.
Alfie Martinez, one of the Bakawan Warriors of DENR National Capital Region assigned in the area, recorded the presence of a Black-faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor) on 17 November 2021, feeding and resting with other migratory birds in the receding waters of the TMTP.
The Black-faced Spoonbill is a rare and endangered migratory bird that breeds in China and the Korean Peninsula. The bird travels to warmer regions with the onset of winter in the northern hemisphere using the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF).
TMTP lies along the EAAF but this is only the second time the bird was seen in the area. According to DENR National Capital Region Regional Executive Director Jacqueline A. Caancan, the fact that rare and endangered migratory birds have been frequenting TMTP makes it an important sanctuary.
“We must step up efforts to protect TMTP and other coastal and marine ecosystems of Metro Manila as the health of these conservation areas contribute greatly to the ongoing cleanup and rehabilitation of Manila Bay,” RED Caancan said.
