Birding in the Blue: Apo Reef Biodiversity Camp 2026

Words & Photos by Edgar Alan Zeta-Yap

After almost two decades of missed opportunities, I finally got to visit Apo Reef Natural Park in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro for the first time last May 21 to 24 through Biodiversity Camp 2026, organized by the Mindoro Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc (MBCFI). Harboring the world’s second-largest contiguous coral reef system, Apo Reef is one of the most biodiverse protected areas in the Philippines, spanning a total area of 274.69 sq km of atoll-like reefs and karst islets in the Mindoro Strait. 

Representing both my blog EAZY Traveler and the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines (UNACOM), I participated in the immersive four-day event, which brought together youth, biodiversity advocates, volunteers, and partners for an exciting field experience, where participants engaged in citizen science activities, marine and coastal appreciation, and learning sessions in support of ongoing conservation efforts. 

With at least 115 bird species on record, Apo Reef Natural Park is an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA), designated by Birdlife International. The three-hour boat ride between mainland Mindoro and Apo Island – the largest islet within the park where we camped out – already yielded thrilling sightings of pelagic birds, which spend most of their life out in open oceans. 

With the sharp-eyed expertise of ornithologist Juan Carlos Gonzalez and wildlife biologists Djop Tabaranza and Bob Natural, among the uncommon species we spotted and identified were White-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus), Wedge-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna pacifica), and Bulwer’s Petrel (Bulweria bulwerii), which were all new site records for the protected area!

Apo Island itself may be only 22 hectares in land area, but features a variety of habitats. Beach forest covers most of the island, which is ringed by coralline beaches and punctuated by limestone karst. In its heart is a saltwater lagoon, bordered by mangrove. As we explored the green dot in the big blue, we encountered different kinds of birds. 

Western Hooded Pitta (Pitta sordida) and Pechora Pipit (Anthus gustavi) were mainstays at our campsite, where they hopped around in the open throughout the day, enjoying the absence of hunters and domestic animals on the island as they foraged on the sand. Skulking behind the ranger station were Barred Rail (Gallirallus torquatus), Philippine Scrubfowl (Megapodius cumingii), and Nicobar Pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica), which, sadly, only showed up briefly for a select few. 

At the other campsite, a Slaty-breasted Rail (Lewinia striata) was less elusive, as it feasted on food scraps next to an outdoor kitchen. In the evenings, Mantanani Scops-Owl (Otus mantananensis) leered over us during dinner, occasionally swooping down to the ground to snatch a bug. A trail through the bush led to the iconic lighthouse, where Malaysian Plover (Anarhynchus peronii) skittered across the white sand in the company of ghost crabs. From above the towering structure, we watched Pied Imperial Pigeon (Ducula bicolor) circle the island, while a shiver of black-tipped reef sharks patrolled the gin-clear shallows below.

Indeed, the BioCamp went beyond sightseeing and engaged participants through immersive field experiences in biodiversity monitoring. On the second day, everyone participated in the seabird survey, where we counted the breeding colonies of Black-naped Tern (Sterna sumatrana) and Bridled Tern ( (Onychoprion anaethetus) on Apo Island and the two rocky islets of Binangaan (Apo Menor) and Tinangkapan (Cayos del Bajo). We observed a total of 812 Black-naped Terns and 614 Bridled Terns at the three sites. 

The Black-naped Tern is native to the tropical and subtropical areas of the Indian and western Pacific Oceans, while the Bridled Tern ranges across the world’s tropical oceans with Apo Reef hosting the largest known concentration of the species in the Philippines. Over the four days we spent in the protected area, we recorded a total of 34 species of birds – eight of which were new additions to my life list!

Aside from being on the World Heritage Tentative List since 2006, Apo Reef Natural Park now belongs to the Matibay na Bayan ng Sablayan Biosphere Reserve, designated by UNESCO last June 5. Sablayan — the largest municipality in the Philippines — is the country’s fifth Biosphere Reserve, joining Puerto Galera, Palawan, Albay, and Apayao as “living laboratories of sustainable development.”