The number ballooned from last year’s census of 12,999 birds taken in the birdwatching villages of Lote, Puerto Rivas ibaba, Tortugas and Sibacan. It surpassed the 25,000 birds counted three years ago.
Gina Mapua, president of the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, said there were 63 bird species in Balanga City most of which were egrets, whiskered terns and black-winged stilts.
She said that one Chinese egret, a very rare species, was one of those sighted. She said that the Chinese egret has a low population of only about 6,000 and rarely seen.
“Maganda ang tide at weather sa Bataan at may balita na nagkaroon ng cold front sa China tulad sa Hong Kong kaya chances are, nagbabaan sa Balanga ang mga ibon,” Mapua said.
She said that there is good low tide and the mudflats are exposed as feeding ground for the birds.
“Huwag sirain ang tabing-dagat at bayaang naka-expose ang putikan at buhanginan sa tabing-dagat na feeding area ng mga ibon. Huwag guluhin ang roosting area, huwag putulin ang mga bakawan dahil dito natutulog sa gabi ang mga ibon,” Mapua advised in order to attract more migratory birds.
Balanga City administrator Rodolfo de Mesa said residents, especially the city government, are happy about the result of the bird census. He said the protection of the environment is an advocacy of the city.
“Ang pagbaba o pagtaas ng bilang mga ibon ay depende sa dalawang bagay bukod pa sa ilang factors. Bumababa dahil siguro sa kapabayaan ng mga tao. Tumataas sapagka’t napoprotektahan ng mga tao ang kainan, tulugan ng mga ibon,” he said.
De Mesa urged residents to double eff orts in protecting the birds. “Regalo sa atin ito ng Diyos at ng kalikasan,” he said.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is government’s lead agency in the Philippines in the Asian Waterbird Census.
WBCP joined DENR in the census in Balanga City in 2009. The census is an international endeavor of scientists to monitor the population of waterbirds in the Asian region.
