A ‘lost’ Philippine pigeon reappears after 20 years — but its forest is disappearing
A camera trap on the Philippine island of Mindoro has photographed one of the country’s rarest birds, confirming that the critically endangered Mindoro bleeding-heart pigeon still survives in the wild. Captured in August in the Puerto Galera rainforest, the image is the first confirmed photograph of the species Gallicolumba platenae in two decades, according to […]
A critically endangered pigeon species, the Mindoro bleeding-heart pigeon, has been confirmed to still be surviving in the wild on the Philippine island of Mindoro. This comes after a camera trap on the island captured an image of the rare bird in August, marking the first confirmed photograph of the species Gallicolumba platenae in 20 years.
The Center for Conservation Innovation Ph Inc. (CCIPH) announced the discovery on September 3, emphasizing the significance of the image in proving the bird's continued existence within the landscape. Ornithologist Juan Carlos Gonzalez, director of the Museum of Natural History at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, independently verified the identification of the pigeon.
BirdLife International's Alex Berryman also confirmed the bird's identity, noting the distinctive orange-red spot on its white chest and iridescent green plumage on its head and neck. Gonzalez highlighted the importance of the Puerto Galera rainforest, where the pigeon was photographed, as a UNESCO biosphere reserve and a crucial sanctuary for this critically endangered species, pointing out that the forest is currently disappearing.
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