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CEBU CITY, Philippines - There is a need for open spaces in Cebu where bird enthusiasts could study, monitor, and document local and migratory birds, the head of a bird watching club said.
Knowledge of bird species that breed or pass through Cebu may be a useful curriculum for grade school or high school, an educator said.
“In Cebu, we are still trying to establish sites where we can conduct bird-watching activities,” said Noel Arribas Jr., Cebu representative of the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP).
“The Cebu City government has given us a spot at the South Road Properties (SRP)... (but) we have to get a clearance, (or) a permit,” Arribas said.
He said he has also experienced being asked to leave the SRP after being there for only 30 minutes.
Mayor Tomas Osmeña earlier asked the club to develop a bird sanctuary in a two-hectare area of the SRP.
The mayor made the suggestion after it was observed that the SRP has become a favorite stop-over for migratory birds.
A total of 83 bird species have been spotted at the SRP since 2005.
Arribas said that in Manila, areas of Manila Bay, the University of the Philippines-Diliman campus in Quezon City and the American War Memorial in Parañaque City have been designated as areas for bird-watching.
In Cebu, such areas are few and far between.
“Barangay Tabunan in Cebu City and Alcoy town are areas where you can find rare species like the Black Shama and the Cebu Flowerpecker,” said Raul Benjamin Puentespina, another WBCP member.
Apart from being a forum for bird enthusiasts, Arribas said the WBCP provides support for bird-related activities and keeps records that are available for special interest groups.
“We also observe some indicator species or kinds of birds whose presence in an area determines whether the environment is still healthy or not,” said Arribas, who presided over the launching of the book “Birds of Cebu, Bohol Philippines,” which he co-authored with Puentespina and photographer Bobby Kintanar.
Cebu Bradford School director Lolita Dormitorio said birding and the study of the behavior and migratory patterns of birds could be incorporated into the school curriculum.
“Students would be more aware of the unique birds that we have in Cebu,” she added.
