Metro Manila’s wetlands and coastal habitats remain ecologically significant, as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-National Capital Region (DENR-NCR) shows rising migratory bird activity and strong biodiversity indicators across key sites.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, DENR-NCR said its Conservation and Development Division (CDD) recorded over 3,800 individual birds from multiple species across seven locations in the capital region.

Included in the bird monitoring is the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park (LPPWP), Tanza Marine Tree Park (TMTP) in Navotas, the Baywalk Dolomite Beach and Baseco in Manila, Barangay Malanday and Tagalag in Valenzuela, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Complex, and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

The LPPWP recorded the highest number of individual birds, while TMTP posted the highest species diversity, with 36 species logged, according to DENR-NCR.

“Kabilang ang 564 Whiskered Terns at 458 Siberian/Tibetan Sandplovers, patunay ng pandaigdigang kahalagahan ng lugar bilang pahingahan ng mga migratory shorebirds na dumadaan sa East Asian-Australasian Flyway (These included 564 Whiskered Terns and 458 Siberian/Tibetan Sandplovers, underscoring the site’s critical importance as a stopover point along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway),” it said.

CDD personnel, along with City Environment and Natural Resources Offices, the Metropolitan Environmental Office, and the Airport Ground Operations and Safety Division of the Manila International Airport Authority conducted the monitoring.

DENR-NCR earlier said that migratory birds from as far as Siberia, China, Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand prefer the wetland areas in Luzon as their nesting, feeding and breeding ground while escaping the cold season from their country of origin

DENR-NCR officials said the sightings reaffirm that even in a highly urbanized region, wetlands, mangroves, estuaries and coastal zones continue to serve as vital sanctuaries for both resident and migratory bird species.

It added that the increasing presence of migratory birds highlights the need to protect these areas from degradation, reclamation pressures and pollution.

“Ang patuloy na monitoring ng populasyon at galaw ng wildlife species ay nagsisilbing pundasyon ng pagbuo ng evidence-based policies at program interventions para sa biodiversity conservation at sustainable urban development sa gitna ng mabilis na urbanisasyon (Continuous monitoring of the population and movements of wildlife species serves as the foundation for developing evidence-based policies and program interventions for biodiversity conservation and sustainable urban development amidst rapid urbanization),” the agency said. (PNA)