Environment
Where are the Birds of
Candaba Marsh?
By Gregg Yan
A flock of great egrets
(Ardea alba) takes flight in
Candaba marsh
Credit: Gregg Yan / Best Alternatives
W
e’re huddled by some low bushes
with a clear view of a weedy marsh,
surrounded by zooming herons,
flapping egrets and hundreds of
other birds. An impressive sight.
Except that here in Candaba
marsh, a place I’ve visited regularly
over the years, there should be
thousands.
“The marsh once teemed with hundreds of thousands of
birds. A decade ago, we recorded up to 20,000 birds per visit,”
remembers Wild Bird Club of the Philippines founding president
Mike Lu. Candaba sits 60 kilometres north of Manila and spans
32,000-hectares, covering portions of Pampanga, Bulacan and
Nueva Ecija. It is a critical stopover for migratory birds flying from
as far south as New Zealand and as far north as the frozen steppes
of Siberia. Birds in colder climates often migrate thousands of
kilometres to warmer zones, searching for food and nesting sites.
A sixth of the 657 types of birds recorded in the Philippines
visit or live here. Birdwatchers have confirmed 54 resident and 68
migratory bird species, including endangered Philippine mallards
56
A beautiful pair of purple
swamphens (Porphyrio
porphyrio) forages for
frogs and fish by the
water’s edge
Credit: Gregg Yan / Best Alternatives