A critically endangered Mindoro bleeding-heart pigeon has been photographed in the jungles of Mindoro Island for the first time since 2005, according to environment officials and conservation groups. Recorded by stealth camera traps deployed last August by the Center for Conservation Innovation (CCIPH) and local patrollers, the sighting confirms the survival of a species previously listed among the world’s lost birds.
Expedition Methods and the Search for a Lost Bird
The expedition team deployed nine camera traps across the northern forests of Mindoro after analyzing historical data alongside biophysical and bioclimatic layers to build a species distribution model, according to CCIPH researcher John Bibar. Working alongside Iraya Mangyan patrollers, the team spent about two days installing the devices using transect walks and bioacoustic devices. Before this deployment, the bird had not been confirmed alive by photographic, audio, or genetic information in over 10 years, placing it among the global targets of the Search for Lost Birds initiative. The last prior confirmed sighting occurred in 2005 at the Siburan Forest Reserve in Occidental Mindoro, with additional 2005 documentation captured at the Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm by Don Roberson.
Did You Know? The Mindoro bleeding-heart gets its name from a distinct red patch on its chest, and the recent documentation captured the ground-dwelling pigeon raising its right wing upland at 900 meters above sea level—an unusual elevation for a species traditionally known as a lowland resident.
Habitat Pressures and Conservation Partnerships
Researchers warn that the bird’s appearance at a higher elevation serves as a warning about changing conditions in its traditional lowland habitat. Species do not typically leave their established zones unless something in that habitat has stopped working for them, according to CCIPH researchers. To address these pressures, CCIPH launched the Mindoro Forest and Biodiversity Conservation Program in 2020, working directly with Indigenous Iraya Mangyan communities within their ancestral domain. Jennica Masigan, CCIPH conservation program director, noted that protecting the forest creates shared value between conservationists and local residents. Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)—through the community environment and natural resources office in Socorro—is supporting CCIPH forest guard training, joining biodiversity assessments, and coordinating on a proposed memorandum of agreement to establish appropriate conservation areas for the species.
Expert Insight: Re-finding a lost species after 21 years underscores the critical value of combining local indigenous knowledge with modern spatial modeling. However, as conservationists emphasize, documenting a rare animal in an atypical high-altitude zone highlights urgent ecological stress in traditional lowland forests, making landscape-level protection essential for long-term survival.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Mindoro bleeding-heart?
It is a small, secretive, and critically endangered ground-dwelling pigeon endemic to Mindoro Island, recognized by the distinct red patch on its chest.
When was the bird last seen before this discovery?
The last confirmed sighting of the species prior to last August was in 2005 inside the Siburan Forest Reserve in Occidental Mindoro.
Who participated in the recent expedition?
The fieldwork was conducted by Manila-based conservationists from the Center for Conservation Innovation and Indigenous Iraya Mangyan patrollers.
How might local authorities and conservation groups coordinate further steps to protect the newly documented pigeon population?
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