Avian fauna of Mount Melibengoy, southern Mindanao, Philippines: conservation implications on a partially protected key biodiversity area under threat

Abstract

Mount Melibengoy is a partially protected key biodiversity area in southern Mindanao, Philippines faced with many anthropogenic pressures. Pushing for the holistic and evidence-based protection of this mountain requires reports on empirical biodiversity data, which are currently limited for the area. To augment this information, we conducted opportunistic field surveys between September 2020 and August 2022 and collated related data to generate a list of avian fauna in Mt Melibengoy would serve as a baseline for informed management interventions and future research. We recorded 130 avian species from 49 families and 104 genera, of which 68 species are considered Philippine endemics and 19 species are only found in Mindanao, including the rarely observed Mindanao lorikeet (Saudareous johnstoniae). The presence of several avian species of scientific and conservation importance requires immediate attention from concerned stakeholders to address habitat modifications and disturbances occurring in portions within and outside the Protected Area. Albeit preliminary, our results provide the much-needed evidence to justify the immediate protection of the unprotected forests of Mt Melibengoy and strengthen its already existing management mechanisms.