New Island Record: Pied avocet bird sighted in E. B. Magalona

A Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta was seen and recorded last January 17, 2023 during the conduct of Asian Waterbird Census at Brgy. Latasan, E. B. Magalona, Negros Occidental.

A group composed of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, E. B. Magalona government and Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc. (PhilBio) personnel, Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) ambassadors and volunteer students from Tanza National High School conducted the Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) at Brgy Latasan when Christian Casio from PBCFI recorded the waterbird wandering around a vacant fishpond together with some Black-winged Stilts.

Sight to behold, Conservation and Development Section Chief of PENRO Negros Occidental, Forester Rosie Pablico checked the 2021 and 2022 AWC data and confirmed that it was the first record of the species in the island and in Western Visayas.

Avocets species have a characteristic slender and strongly upcurved bill. It was first recorded at Puerto Princesa Palawan in March 8, 1991.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has categorized and evaluated the avocet species and has listed it as of “Least Concern” with estimated number ranging from 280,000 – 470,000 individual birds around the world.* (CENROBago / AMJr.)