The Southeast Asian Migration Flyway

THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN MIGRATION FLYWAY

by Antonio C. Antonio

September 8, 2013

The town of Moncada in the Province of Tarlac is a choice place for bird hunters.  Every year, in the month of August, there is an abundance of migratory birds in this sleepy town as it is directly located along the Southeast Asian Migration Flyway.

These migratory birds are called “Papa” in the Moncada area, generally known as “Tagak” and internationally known as the “Chinese Egret”.  Anticipating the scarcity of food during winter, these migratory birds follow the Southeast Asian Migratory Flyway as they fly from China, Japan and the Korean Peninsula and find their way to Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Australia.  The Philippines is an important crossroad and junction in this migration pattern.  (The accompanying image shows the Southeast Asian Migration Flyway.)

The Philippines is where they stay for a period of three to four months before proceeding southward.  In the Philippines, they follow a path that brings them from Pangasinan to Tarlac to Pampanga to Bulacan and exits over Manila Bay.  In this Central Luzon pathway, the Chinese Egret stays longer in the Candaba swamp in Pampanga (considered the lowest area or catch basin of Central Luzon) where water is available until November and December each year.

The best opportunity to conduct a faunal inventory of the Chinese Egret is in the area of the Candaba Swamp in Pampanga since this is where these migratory birds stay the longest.  A faunal inventory could be done at the Candaba swamp using the following suggested technique:

·         First, conduct a survey of the swamp area where the Chinese Egret stays every night;

·         Second, determine how many Chinese Egret could fit in 1 square meter of swamp area; and,

·         Third, estimate the total swamp area (in square meters) being occupied by the Chinese Egret.

This technique could be repeated every week for the entire duration of the migratory birds’ stay in the Candaba swamp to come up with a more accurate inventory.  On a yearly basis, the increase and decrease in their population could also be determined.  Even when the population of these Chinese Egret seems to be constant every year, documenting their population variance is important in preserving their existence.  They definitely are part of the Southeast Asian ecosystem and their continued existence, to support this regional ecosystem, is also important.

I really don’t know if actual inventories are being conducted for this type of migratory birds.  This technique is just my simple suggestion... relatively economical too.  The Chinese Egret, however, has been considered as an “endangered” species.  A regular inventory of these birds could be our best contribution in preserving this species.  Their actual population could be monitored and advisories could be given to the Local Government Units (LGU) along the flyway.  The LGUs, as the advisories would recommend, could ban hunting for these migratory birds.

I should mention that the reason why the Chinese Egret is considered an endangered species is not because of air rifle hunters.  There is a practice of gathering these birds with the use of large nets and commercially sold.

Just my little thoughts…