Rare Bird, Hoatzin

The Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin), also known as the Hoactzin, Stinkbird, or Canje Pheasant, is a species of tropical bird found in swamps, riverine forest and mangrove of the Amazon and the Orinoco delta in South America. It is notable for having chicks that possess claws on two of their wing digits. Source of photos and text:  Wikipedia

The Hoatzin is strictly vegetarian, eating the leaves, flowers and fruits of more than 50 species of marshland plants. Hoatzins are very strange among birds, though, because they ferment this vegetable matter in their foregut like cows, sheep, deer and kangaroos, and thus have a specialized digestive system. Nestlings are fed this regurgitated matter. Hoatzins forage in the early morning and early evening, and spend much of the time roosting quietly and digesting their meal.

Hoatzins are poor fliers, and they put a lot of noisy effort into using their broad rusty wings to cross channels or move away from perceived danger. Source: Web Page by Don Roberson

Endemic Birds of the Philippines

Aside from flowers, I love colorful birds. In the Philippines, these are some of the our endemic birds.

Image from  A Birder's Blog

Guaiabero (Bolbopsittacus lunulatus is a common endemic bird in forest and forest edge below 1000 m.It s a small green parrot with a short tail, blackish bill,yelowish rump and blue or yelow collar.It´s usually found singly,in pairs or in groups feeding on a tree.It flies very fast and it´s commonly seen in Subic.

Image from  A Birder's Blog

Red-crested Malkoha is another endemic and common bird seen frequently in lowland forest and forest edge.It has a typical black plumage,red crest and pea green bill.It usually appears singlyor in small groups in the understorey, skulking in dense foliage and vines.In Subic you can see it on the forest and quite often near the main roads.

 Image and text from  A Birder's Blog

Philippine Pigmy woodpecker is a small endemic and common woodpecker that inhabit lowland and montane forest and edge.It´s the smallest Philipine woodpecker and it´s unmistakable because of its size and streaked underparts.It travels on mixed flocks foraging up branches and trees.They usually appears near the main road of Subic early in the morning.

 Image and text from  A Birder's Blog

Red-bellied Pitta is a shy and inconspicuous pitta that inhabits forest and secondary growth usually below 1000 m. It ´s dark blue on the upperparts and has a red belly.It appears on or near the ground and it s very vocal at certain times of the year, singing on exposed rocks or stumps or high up in the trees.

 Image and text from  A Birder's Blog

Indigo-Banded Kingfisher is another great and beautiful endemic kingfisher.It´s n uncommon bird restricted to clear freshwater streams up to 1500m.It looks like Common Kingfisher but it has a darker head,wings and tail and a bluish breast band.It perches on rocks or on branches.It flies quitely and very fast.It can be seen in MBA gardens in Mount Makiling.

 Image and text from  A Birder's Blog

Wattled Broadbill, is the only broadbill that you can find in the Philippines.This endemic bird inhabits in Bohol, Leyte, Samar and Mindanao.It´s uncommon and local in forest understory below 1000m.It´s unmistakable.It usually appears solitary sitting still on exposed perch or travelling in groups with a mixed flock.

Image and text from Philippine Inquirer

The Pinsker’s hawk-eagle is endemic to the Philippines and known to thrive in the subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest. It belongs to the Acciptridae family and is considered threatened because of the loss of its natural habitat.   
This white and fluffy Pinsker’s hawk-eagle chick is the first of its species bred and hatched in captivity at the Philippine Eagle Foundation in Davao City. Its sex will be known only within the next five years. It’s classified “valuable” because its small population is rapidly decreasing. Superimposed at right is its mother hawk-eagle who goes by the code name FAMSG captured in Maguindanao. Photo courtesy of Philippine Eagle Foundation.

The above are some of the selected avian treasures of the Philippines.