Mount Hamiguitan sanctuary records rare sighting of Mindanao bleeding-heart pigeon

A Mindanao bleeding-heart pigeon was recently sighted at the Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary in Davao Oriental, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Davao Region said.

The bird was spotted on Tuesday, July 29, but the DENR said the species had already been “accidentally observed” by a biodiversity monitoring intern in the same area in June and July this year, during which a male was seen performing a courtship display toward a female, suggesting possible breeding activity within the sanctuary.

The DENR also confirmed that the species was previously observed within the sanctuary on August 8, 2019.

“The Mindanao bleeding-heart (Gallicolumba crinigera) is a ground-dwelling dove belonging to the pigeon family (Columbidae) and is endemic to the Philippines,” the DENR said.

The species is naturally found in Mindanao, Basilan, Samar, Leyte, Bohol, and the Dinagat Islands, where it inhabits primary and secondary tropical lowland rainforests at elevations of up to 750 meters above sea level.

The Mindanao bleeding-heart is one of the five endemic bleeding-heart dove species in the country, with each species native to specific island groups, according to the DENR.

Under DENR Administrative Order No. 2019-09, or the Updated National List of Threatened Philippine Fauna and their Categories, the Mindanao bleeding-heart is classified as vulnerable, meaning the species faces a high risk of population decline if existing threats persist. —VBL, GMA News