The first time that Ceyx mindanensis or the South Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher was described was in 1890 as a result of the Steere Expedition.

This bird can only be found in the forests on the Philippine islands of Mindanao and Basilan and it is the smallest member of the forest kingfisher family. Its feathers have shiny orange, purple and blue specks. It also makes a unique sound that is similar to a loud high pitched insect buzz.

It has been really difficult to notice it is all these years because of its quiet flight and fast movement as it flies from branch to branch.

Luckily, Miguel David De Leon, a field biologist from the Philippines took some nice photographs of this magnificent and very rare bird after a ten-year search for it all around the Philippines.

Miguel is also the director of the Robert S. Kennedy Bird Conservation which consists of photographers and field biologists that devote their lives to contributing data about rare birds that were previously not known to science to save species and ecosystems.

The South Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher can be seen on a photo for the first time

These photos that Miguel De Leon took, are published for the first time now and it will be the first time that the world will take a glimpse of this unique species. It took Miguel and his team ten long years of searching for this bird and its habitat to be able to document all its behaviors from nesting to breeding.

Nesting places found

From the years 2007 and 2017 Miguel, together with his team found a couple of nesting places of the South Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher in Mapawa Nature Park but they found out that one of them was ruined by trespassers before they could even make any observations.

Luckily the second one was in perfect condition. The nest was attached to a tree, three meters above the ground. Like the other birds in the same family, The South Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher is a cavity nester which means they dig holes in the earth or termite nests that they later use as their nests.

They can eat different small creatures like worms, lizards, and other insects.

A threat of extinction

These birds face some serious threats to their survival which include the destruction of their habitats, poachers, and climate changes. Conservation is a lot more than just keeping the forests according to Miguel De Leon. In one interview he said:

Photos: Miguel David De Leon