By Cristina Cinco
The Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP) takes pride in the presentation of its annual 2025 Checklist of Philippine Birds that provides an overview on the current state of Philippine birds. The WBCP Records Committee is responsible for consolidating all the data gathered to come up with the annual Philippine bird list. The Checklist gives reference to the name, range, and the conservation status of bird species. The 2025 Checklist of Philippine Birds may be accessed from the website of the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines at birdwatch.ph
(https://birdwatch.ph/philippine-checklist/)
For a better understanding of the 2025 Checklist of Philippine Birds this was summarized in “Quick Numbers“ as follows:
Total Number – 761 (2025)
Combines the endemics, residents and migrants of bird species.
Endemics – 274
Avian species found only in the Philippines.
Residents – 202
Covers the number of birds that are non-endemics, breeding in the country and present also in other neighboring Asian countries.
Migrants – 285
Species that move from their breeding grounds to temporary places for shelter, to roost and feed especially during the winter months.
First Time Sightings
The new species added to the 2025 Checklist of Philippine Birds are first time sightings within the country. These new sightings are usually accidental migrants that are passing through the country during the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere with the exception of the Rainbow Bee-eater which follows the seasonal changes in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly in Australia.
Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps cristatus
The Great Crested Grebe is an accidental migrant discovered in Batanes. Their breeding grounds are in Europe and northern Asia. They winter in North Africa, the Middle East and warmer parts of Asia. (Photo taken by Chin Fernandez in Ilwol Reservoir, Suwon, South Korea)
Spoon-billed Sandpiper
Calidris pygmaea
First sighting of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper was in Balanga, Bataan. They breed along the coasts of the Bering Strait, Chukchi and Kamchatka Peninsulas in Northern Russia. Their winter movement passes through China, Korea and Japan before spending the winter season in the warmer climates of South and Southeast Asia. (Photo by: Ravi Iyengar taken in Balanga, Bataan)
Nazca Booby
Sula granti
First spotted in the Sulu Sea, 60 kilometers off Basilan province. Their habitat: islands in the Western Pacific ranging from California in the United States to South America. A relative of the Masked Booby, it is known to be vagrants, reaching the Eastern Pacific in Australia and Indonesia. (Photo from eBird.org)
Rainbow Bee-eater
Merops ornatus
The Rainbow Bee-eater is an accidental migrant found in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur. A trans-migrant originating from the forests of Southern Australia. This bee-eater usually moves north from Australia to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea during the winter months in the Southern Hemisphere but its presence has been recorded in the Miyako Islands of Okinawa, Japan. (Photo by: Julius Paner, taken in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur)
Red-backed Shrike
Lanius collurio
The Red-backed Shrike is a migratory bird first seen in Batanes. They breed in Europe and Western Asia. (Photo from eBird.org)
Rook
Corvus frugilegus
The Rook was discovered in Batanes. They come from the crow family Corvus. This can be found widespread in Eurasia but is an introduced species in New Zealand. (Photo from eBird.org)
Radde’s Warbler
Phylloscopus schwarzi
The Radde’s Warbler was first spotted in Batanes. This leaf warbler is a migrant that breeds in Siberia but winters in Southeast Asia. (Photo from eBird.org)
Chestnut-tailed Starling
Sturnia malabarica
The Chestnut-tailed Starling is a partially migratory bird first found in Batanes. A resident bird found in open and forest edges in South and Southeast Asia. This starling is also an introduced species in Taiwan. (Photo by: Charls Lee Ibanez in Batanes)
Blyth’s Pipit
Anthus godlewskii
The Blyth’s Pipit was first located in Batanes. Its appearance is very similar to the Richard’s Pipit. A migratory bird that breeds in Mongolia, China, Tibet and Northern India, wintering in Southeast Asia. (Photo by Charls Lee Ibanez taken in Batanes)
Pallas Reed Bunting
Emberiza pallasi
The Pallas Reed Bunting was first identified in Batanes. This migrant bunting breeds in northern and central Asia to Mongolia then winters in Southeast Asia. (Photo from eBird.org)
The Splits from Species
Aside from the new species discovery from Batanes, Bataan, Davao del Sur and the Sulu Sea there were notable species splits from the Cuckoo-shrikes, Island Thrushes and Crows. The occurrences of species splits are based on their differences in their appearance focusing on their DNA compositions and genetics.
SPLITS FOR THE BAR-BELLIED CUCKOOSHRIKE
Bar-bellied Cuckooshrike
Coracina striata
The Bar-bellied Cuckooshrike is classified as a Resident species in Luzon. Found fairly common and widespread. (Photo by: Tina Mallari/WBCP Gallery)
Bar-bellied Cuckooshrikes elevated to Endemic Status
Mindoro Cuckooshrike
Coracina mindorensis
Endemic to the islands of Mindoro, Tablas and Romblon. (Photo by: Djop Tabaranza, taken at Mts. Iglit and Baco, Occidental Mindoro)
Visayan Cuckooshrike
Coracina panayensis
Endemic to Panay, Negros, Masbate, Guimaras and Ticao Island but is absent in Western Visayas. (Photo by: Forest Jarvis, Aningalan, San Remigio, Antique, Panay Isl.)
Mindanao Cuckooshrike
Coracina kochii
Endemic to Bohol, Samar, Leyte, Mindanao and Basilan. (Photo by: Martin Pearce/eBird.org. Taken at Upper La Paz, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur)
Sulu Cuckooshrike
Coracina guillemardi – Endemic to the Sulu Archipelago (no photo available)
Island Thrush Species elevated to Endemic Status
The Island Thrush was previously classified as Resident birds in the Philippines but is now split into three endemic species. There are some 50 subspecies from Taiwan, Southeast Asia, and the Western Pacific islands which are currently being re-evaluated for species classification. The Endemic Island Thrush species in the Philippine Checklist are seen in forests located in altitudes of 1,000 masl and over.
Luzon Island Thrush
Turdus thomassoni
Classified as Endemic and found in forest and forest edges in the mountains of Luzon particularly in the Cordilleras of Northern Luzon and the Sierra Madre Mountain Range. Occurs in Mt. Pulag National Park, Mt. Polis, Mts. Banahaw-San Cristobal, Mt. Isarog, Mt. Mayon and Mt. Bulusan. (Photo by: Bob Kaufman, Mt. Sto. Tomas, Tuba, Benguet)
Mindanao Island Thrush
Turdis nigrorum
Found in the upland forest and forest edges. Habitats are in higher altitudes from 1,300–1,800 masl in the islands of Negros, Panay, Mindanao and Sibuyan. In Mindanao, they can be found in Mts. Apo, Hamiguitan, Malindang and Kitanglad; Mt. Kanlaon in Negros Island. (Photo from Ravi Iyengar, Davao de Oro)
Mindoro Island Thrush
Turdus mindorensis
Found in the forest and forest edges above 1200 masl. Seen at Mts. Iglit-Baco and Mt. Halcon. (Photo from Mindoro Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, Inc./Bob Natural)
Small Crow Species Split
Sierra Madre Crow
Corvus sierramadrensis
An Endemic crow, quite rare in the lowland forests of northern and central Luzon. This crow was split from the Small Crow. (Photo from Mark Jason Villa, Amro River Watershed, Aurora)
Samar Crow
Corvus samarensis
Previously known as the Small Crow. This crow is Endemic to the islands of Samar and Mindanao. Differentiated from the Sierra Madre crow by its shorter and thinner bill with a deep black plumage. (Photo from Enrico Legaspi, Samar Island)
For a more detailed interpretation of the 2025 Checklist of Philippine Birds, kindly refer to the infographics below by Cheta Chua and Angel Chan, originally posted at the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines’ Birdwatch Philippines Community Facebook page.
As a reference to the current status of Philippine Bird Life, the 2025 Checklist of Philippine Birds is a reflection of the country’s avian treasures. The annual checklist is very dynamic. New sightings as first country records, species splits and name changes are added to the previous year’s list, which further lengthens the current year’s data. Hopefully, for the coming eBon issues, endemic bird listings and name changes will be written about to better inform and enrich everyone’s knowledge.
References:
Kennedy, R., Gonzales, P. C., Dickinson, E., Hector C. Miranda, J., & Fisher, T. H. (2000). A guide to the birds of the Philippines. Oxford University Press.
Wikipedia.org
eBird.org
birdwatch.ph
abcbirds.org
Photo Credits: eBird, Chin Fernandez, Charls Lee Ibanez, Ravi Iyengar, Forest Jarvis, Enrico Legaspi, Bob Kaufman, MBCFI, Tina Mallari, Julius Paner, Martin Pearce, Djop Tabaranza, Mark Jason Villa.
Special Thanks to: Cheta Chua and Angel Chan