A Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta was seen and recorded on January 17, during the conduct of Asian Waterbird Census at Brgy. Latasan, E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental.
A group composed of DENR, E.B. Magalona LGU and Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc. (PhilBio) personnel, Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) Ambassadors and volunteer students from Tanza National High School, conducted the Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) at Brgy. Latasan, when Christian Casio of PBCFI recorded the water bird wandering around a vacant fishpond, together with some Black-winged Stilts.
A sight to behold, Conservation and Development Section Chief of PENRO Negros Occidental, Forester Rosie Pablico checked 2021 and 2022 AWC data and confirmed that the sighting was the first record of the species in the island and Western Visayas.
Avocets species have a characteristic slender and strongly upcurved bill. It was first recorded at Puerto Princesa Palawan in March 8, 1991.
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has categorized and evaluated the avocet species and has listed it as of “Least Concern” with estimated number ranging from 280,000-470,000 individual birds around the world.*