Metro Manila’s sprawling urban landscape continues to serve as a critical refuge for international wildlife, as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-National Capital Region (DENR-NCR) announced a recent tally of over 3,800 individual migratory birds across seven key sites.
The DENR-NCR’s Conservation and Development Division (CDD) monitoring activity reaffirmed the ecological significance of the capital region’s wetlands, coastal zones, and estuaries, even amidst high-density urbanization. The count included birds that have traveled from as far as Siberia, China, Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand to escape the cold seasons in their home countries.
Among the monitored locations were the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park (LPPWP), the Tanza Marine Tree Park (TMTP) in Navotas, the Baseco and Baywalk Dolomite Beach in Manila, Barangay Malanday and Tagalag in Valenzuela, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Complex, and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) area.
Data showed that the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park recorded the highest number of individual birds. Meanwhile, the Tanza Marine Tree Park posted the highest species diversity, with 36 species logged. Noteworthy species spotted include 564 Whiskered
Terns and 458 Siberian/Tibetan Sandplovers, underscoring the area’s crucial function as a stopover point along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.
DENR-NCR officials stated that these recurrent sightings strongly underscore that wetlands, mangroves, and coastal zones in the highly urbanized region remain vital sanctuaries for both resident and migratory bird species.
The DENR stressed that the increasing presence of migratory birds highlights the urgent need to protect these crucial habitats from the pressures of reclamation, degradation, and pollution, ensuring sustainable urban development and biodiversity conservation.