The eggs laid by these birds, in turn, provide food for various reptiles (including rat snakes) and insects (certain beetles and ants may invade nests and feed on bird eggs). These feeding relationships among all the fauna in a forest ecosystem contribute to preventing any single species from proliferating excessively.
Birds are instrumental in maintaining this ecological balance. Nectar-feeding birds, for instance, are vital pollinators. This phenomenon, referred to as ornithophily, entails birds transferring pollen between flowering plants, which is a fundamental interaction for the reproduction of numerous plant species worldwide.
Numerous fruit-consuming birds also play a significant role in seed dispersal. After consuming fruit, these birds transport the seeds within their intestines and subsequently deposit them in various locations.
Some bird species frequently assist farmers by controlling pests that affect crops. A flock of birds soaring through the sky can consume hundreds of insects daily. However, birds are seldom included in integrated pest management approaches. This oversight may stem from the fact that some bird species can cause harm to farmers through crop destruction.
In spite of their crucial role, birds are facing the threat of extinction. The majority of these threats are attributable to human actions. For example, children utilize slingshots to target them, while adults resort to firearms to hunt birds for recreation.
Fortunately, there are still people who love birds in their natural habitats. A birdwatcher is a person who takes pleasure in observing birds within their natural environments while a birder is frequently used interchangeably with birdwatcher, suggesting a deeper commitment to the activity of birding.
Ornithophile serves as a more formal designation for a person who has a passion for birds. In contrast, a twitcher refers to an enthusiastic birdwatcher who travels specifically to see rare bird species.
“Even as a child, I enjoyed observing birds because I was raised in the countryside, where there were numerous birds at that time,” he reminisced.
Thus, it came as no surprise that Paner incorporated bird watching into the tourism activities of his hometown. After all, the town’s section of Mount Apo, the highest peak in the country, is home to approximately 104 bird species.
Unfortunately, some of these birds are categorized as critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, and near-threatened, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Paner enumerates the following: Philippine eagle, Philippine hanging parrot, Mindanao jungle flycatcher, Mindanao lorikeet, Mindanao racket-tail, Apo sunbird, grey-hooded sunbird, and Mindanao pygmy babbler.
While Sta. Cruz hosts several endemic species, it equally has an excellent record of migratory shorebirds as it forms part of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, one of the world’s great flyways of migratory birds.
Consider the following: Northern shoveler, grey-tailed tattler, common greenshank, common redshank, black headed gull, pied stilt, common sandpiper, whimbrel, marsh sandpiper, and ruddy turnstone. The list goes on and on.
However, bird watching has only recently been incorporated into the town’s tourism offerings. “The key attractions of Sta. Cruz in terms of tourism are our natural features such as mountain ranges, peaks, caves, waterfalls, beaches, and forests,” he states. “Numerous activities can be enjoyed here, including mountain climbing, caving, waterfall hopping, trail running, and island hopping.”
In 2018, Paner took up bird watching as a hobby after joining a group in Malagos led by expert birder Pete Simpson, a member of the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines-Davao. He gained extensive knowledge from this experience, prompting him to consider bird watching as a viable tourism activity.
When he proposed this idea to government officials, there were no objections. “Our municipal leadership is indeed very supportive of our tourism initiatives and projects, including bird watching,” he remarks. “In fact, there is a budget set aside for biodiversity conservation in general, and specifically for bird inventory activities.”
In 2019, he initiated birding activities within the municipality. “The most recent trend in ecotourism is bird watching,” he notes. “While it may not yet attract a large audience, it has garnered significant interest from naturalists, which is why we have included this activity in our list of must-tries here in Sta. Cruz. We also boast numerous birding locations, both in the forest and in our wetlands.”
Among the municipalities in Davao del Sur, Sta. Cruz stands out as the sole provider of such activities. This is quite reasonable. “With all due modesty, I can assert that Sta. Cruz is one of the premier birding destinations in Mindanao due to the variety of forest and wetland birds that are home to over a hundred endemic, resident, and migratory species,” he says.
Those who are interested in bird watching in Sta. Cruz must first coordinate with the local government unit through the tourism office. The ideal birding group ranges from 5 to 10 persons.
In contrast to other tourism activities, bird watching requires considerable effort. In addition to conducting research prior to arriving in the area, participants must adhere to all regulations.
“Effective planning is essential,” Paner remarks. “The first step is to investigate the location, especially if it is unfamiliar to the group. Coordination and securing a local guide are also vital. When engaging in activities within protected areas, the ‘leave no trace principles’ must be upheld. Most importantly, no birds or other wildlife should be harmed during birding excursions.”
When asked about his advocacy for bird protection, he responds, “Birds are significant as they serve as the best indicators of a healthy environment. The presence of birds in a particular area signifies a stable ecosystem. Personally, birds are my remedy for stress and depression. I take great pleasure in observing them in their natural surroundings. As I have previously mentioned, they embody the spirit. Birds represent freedom.”
Most importantly, birds are very useful when it comes to farming – although some farmers consider them as pests. Nevertheless, a study conducted in the United States reveals that incorporating wild patches into agricultural land can draw in more beneficial species, thereby decreasing crop damage.
Spoorthy Raman, a journalist for Audubon magazine, reported on a study conducted by Sara Kross, an environmental biologist at Columbia University, which demonstrated that surrounding sunflower farms with trees attracted almost double the number of bird species and decreased pest damage to sunflower seeds by nearly fourfold.
