2026 Asian Waterbird Census

By Cristina R. Cinco

The Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) is one of the major activities of the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP.) The AWC is part of the monitoring of the migratory bird populations and their habitat along the East Asian Australasian Flyway (EAAF), one of the nine major flyways in the world. The WBCP assists in the counts of migratory birds together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB), the government agency tasked to centrally coordinate the activity in the Philippines. The country is in the path of migratory birds travelling from Mainland Asia to Australia. The annual monitoring is conducted in the mid-winter season of the Northern Hemisphere through the second or third week of January. The year 2026 marks the 40^th year of the Asian wide census. The appointed date was set from 3-19 January 2026 but counts from 2025 December-2026 February will also be accepted. The cooperative survey of the DENR and the WBCP was facilitated following the tidal timetable of the designated areas mostly held in the third week of January. 

Bataan

Balanga City and Pilar
17 January 2026
Participants: City of Balanga, DENR-3, WBCP Members: Mike Lu, Cristina Cinco, Ana Alcantara, Diuvs de Jesus, Riza Melicor, Zita Pascasio
Total No. of Migrant Waterbirds – 8,135/38 species
Significant species observed: Philippine Duck, Little Egret, Great Egret, Whiskered Tern  
*Noting the nesting of Little Egret at the Balanga Wetland Park 

Bulacan

Sta. Cruz, Paombong and Pamarawan, Malolos 
19-20 January, 2026
Participants: DENR 3-PENRO Bulacan, Volunteers from Bulakenyo Bird Club, Irene Dy, WBCP Members Cristina Cinco, Riza Herera, Cathy Mendoza, Jasmin Meren, Vinz Pascua, Junrey Tabarno
Total No. of Migrant Waterbirds –41,678 /65 species
Significant species observed : Black-tailed Godwit, Asian Golden Plover, Red Knot, Red necked Stint
Rarities Seen: Nordmann’s Greenshank, Black-faced Spoonbill 

National Capital Region

Tanza, Navotas
20 January,2026
Participants: DENR-NCR, DENR-WBCP Justin de Ramos, WBCP-Julius Infante, Moleen del Rosario, Denise Samson, Gwen So
Total No. of Migrant Waterbirds – 2,373 individuals/31 species
Significant species observed: Little Egret, Kentish Plover, Whiskered Tern

Tagalag-Malanday, Valenzuela
20 January 2026
Participants: DENR-NCR, DENR-WBCP Justin de Ramos, WBCP-Julius Infante
Total No. of Migrant Waterbirds – 877 individuals/11 species
Significant species observed: Wandering Whistling Duck, Purple Heron, Whiskered Tern

Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park
21 January 2026
Participants: PASU LPPWP, WBCP members 
Total No. of Migrant Waterbirds – 2,548 /28 species
Significant species observed: Great Egret, Black-winged Stilt, Whiskered Tern 

• Asian Waterbird Census Forms –  Balanga/ Pilar, Bataan
• AWC Data from PASU LPPWP-Junrey Tabarno,PENRO-Bulacan, Tanza, Navotas / Tagalag- Malanday (Justin de Ramos)
• Photo References: Tanza, Navotas / Tagalag- Malanday (Justin de Ramos), Nesting Little Egret -Mike Lu, DENR-NCR.