The ‘Ibong Adarna’ bird from the mythical Philippine story of the same name was spotted in the tropical forest of Mount Apo, the Philippines’ highest mountain.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Davao City shared photos of a female Philippine Trogon, famously known for its resemblance to the Adarna bird, on their Facebook page last Friday.

As seen in the photos, the female Philippine Trogon possesses “subdued shades of mustard-yellow underparts and an olive-brown head” compared to the male Philippine Trogon, which displays bright solid colors.

“They feed on insects and fruits and shelter on tree hollows. Being reluctant to people, they found bliss in the darker portions of our forests,” the DENR captioned.

While the Adarna bird was found in the Piedras Platas tree at Mount Tabor, the Philippine Trogon (Harpactes ardens) is endemic to the tropical forests in the Philippines.

On the Facebook post, DENR Davao called to protect and preserve the legendary bird as its population is decreasing.

Photo credit:
https://www.facebook.com/denr11official/

Source:
https://www.facebook.com/denr11official/, https://animalia.bio/philippine-trogon