Philippine Eagle – main tour.

After spending the night in Davao and some early morning birding at Calinan, we will visit the Philippine Eagle Center in Malagos, home to the Philippine Eagle Foundation, an organisation dedicated to saving the species and its rainforest habitat. The center holds a number of birds for rehabilitation and a captive breeding program, and these can be seen and photographed more closely than is ever likely in the wold. Set at the edge of a low elevation native forest the area also holds some Philippine and Mindanao endemics including Southern Silvery Kingfisher and Winchell’s (Rufous-lored) Kingfisher.

By mid-morning we will start our journey north to Mount Kitanglad. In the afternoon a short transfer over rough roads will take us to the drop point from where we will walk up to the Del Monte Lodge. Walking through farmland and forest fragments we will encounter our first Mindanao montane endemics including Grey-hooded Sunbird and Rufous-headed Tailorbird. The lodge itself is a basic but comfortable accommodation and our home for the next three nights. Being close to the forest we can expect to record Yellow-breasted Fruit-Dove, Mindanao Hornbill and possibly Hombron’s (Blue-capped) Kingfisher, and at night will try for Philippine Frogmouth, Giant Scops-Owl and Bukidnon Woodcock. The following morning we will head higher, at a gentle birding pace through farmland and forest fragments where we will look out for Black-and cinnamon Fantail, Yellow-bellied Whistler and Sulphur-billed Nuthatch. In less than two hours we should reach the eagle watchpoint, the place where most bird tours encounter Philippine Eagle. The site gives a breathtaking view over the extensive forests of Mt Kitanglad, the range home to four pairs of Philippine Eagle. Along with the resident form of Crested Honey Buzzard, Rufous-bellied Eagle, and Pinsker’s Hawk Eagle, we hope to find Philippine Eagle soaring over the forest canopy, overhead or even perched. 

If successful on our first full day at the watchpoint we may venture higher on the second day in search of McGregor’s Cuckoo-Shrike, Apo Sunbird and Mindanao White-eye.

After two full days on this eastern side of Mt Kitanglad, we will head to a different site on the southern face of the mountain that is easier to access and holds another active pair of Philippine Eagles. After our last night in the municipality of Bukidnon we will head back south to Davao for one night on the mid-elevation slopes of Mount Talomo. Within easy reach of our comfortable accommodation, we will target localised endemics Cryptic Flycatcher and Whiskered Flowerpecker, and have a chance of the scarce migrant Japanese Night heron. After a last morning in the area we head to Davao for a flight to Manila and the start of the Asian Bird Fair.