It’s the time of the year once more when raptors from neighboring countries, such as Taiwan and Japan, fly long distances and even cross open oceans to find the suitable environment and feeding areas. As these birds head to Indonesia, they pass by Southern Mindanao to rest and feed before continuing their long distance journey.
In recent years, the migratory birds have been observed to make a stopover in Rio del Pilar in the municipality of Glan in Sarangani. Last year the provincial government of Sarangani, through the Environmental Conservation and Protection Center, counted a total of 132,945 birds composed of Chinese Sparrowhawk (96 percent), Gray-faced Buzzard (3 percent), Peregrine Falcon and Western Osprey (1 percent).
This is the third year of monitoring and study in order to generate scientific data that will help authorities understand certain aspects of raptor biology, migration behaviors and to help identify critical sites for conservation. The birds are looking for thermal air currents that can be found in Mount Latian Complex, which has been identified an important biodiversity area, and a Philippine Biodiversity Conservation priority by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Raptor migration is a vital indicator of the ecological balance of the roosting area, which would draw the interest of wildlife enthusiasts. They are characterized by the raptors’ sharp vision, which allows them to detect prey during flight, thus serving as natural pest control in the area.
The migratory birds arrive in Sarangani twice a year—September to October, and March to April, their return flight to their original abode. A study, titled “Project Southern Crossing 2014: First Observations of Autumn Raptor Migration at Sarangani, Mindanao, Philippines,” described the archipelago as an “important link in the East Asia-Australasian Flyway” (BirdLife International, 2015), a “migration route involving long sea crossings.”
This year’s monitoring season includes a reforestation initiative of one of the roosting sites, Mount Taltak, in partnership with Raptorwatch Network Philippines and the Japanese Society for the Preservation of Birds.
The five-year regreening project is a component of the Migratory Raptors Study alongside with this year’s raptor monitoring, which will be highlighted in the first-ever Autumn Migration Raptor Watch Festival set on October 5 in Glan.
The ecotourism fest will emphasize the importance of maintaining the environmental health of the area to keep the raptors from coming. The event will be participated in by the DENR, provincial government of Sarangani, municipality of Glan, the Departments of Tourism, and of Trade and Industry, the Indigenous Peoples Municipal Office, Philippine National Police, schools, barangay councils and communities in Glan.