Inquirer Visayas : a New Breed of Bird Watchers by Vicente Labro Inquirer Posted Date: September 22, 2007

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INQUIRER VISAYAS Inquirer Visayas : A new breed of bird watchers By Vicente Labro Inquirer Posted date: September 22, 2007

TACLOBAN CITY – Eastern Visayas has a new breed of bird watchers, and its members are all villagers.

They will be scanning the skies or espying on seashores and wetlands for foreign birds, not as a hobby but to help protect the region’s economy and public health.

The Bantay Ibon (Bird Watch) Brigades were organized by the Regional Task Force on Avian Influenza to further strengthen efforts to prevent the entry and spread of avian influenza (AI) that has struck many of the Philippines’ neighbors in Asia.

Migratory birds, which are potential carriers of the avian flu virus, are expected to come to pass through Leyte this month until April next year.

Leo Cañeda, regional executive director of the Department of Agriculture and head of the task force, said the support of the villagers, particularly in areas frequented by the visiting birds, was crucial because they would be the first to sound the alarm of an avian flu outbreak.

Avian flu or “bird flu” is a contagious disease of animals caused by viruses that normally infect only birds and, less commonly, pigs, according to the World Health Organization. In recent years, however, the virus has also infected and killed human beings.

Proactive and preventive

Four years after the highly pathogenic disease broke out in Asia, caused the culling of millions of poultry, and infected more than 200 people in China, Indonesia, Vietnam and other countries, the Philippines is still not letting its guard down.

“We have to be proactive and preventive,” Cañeda said, referring to continuing efforts to safeguard the region from the entry and spread of avian flu.

The regional task force has been coordinating and working together with provincial, municipal and barangay governments to avert an outbreak and to be prepared in case one occurs. “We must not be complacent just because there has been no bird flu case yet in the region and the country,” Cañeda said.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, a member agency of the regional task force, has been tasked with organizing Bantay Ibon Brigades, particularly in areas usually visited by migratory birds.

Arnulito Viojan, focal person of the AI protection program of the DENR regional office, said the wetlands and other bird sites had been monitored since 1998 and during the bird flu scare in 2003. Wetlands are low-lying areas of land that are regularly or permanently covered with fresh or salt water, and which can become the habitat for a wide range of bird life.

Eastern Visayas has 11 wetland areas, among them the Ormoc Bay Wetland in Ormoc City; Carigara Bay Wetland in Carigara, Leyte; Guiuan Wetland in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, Lake Lagbangan in San Antonio, Northern Samar; Catubig Rice Paddies in Catubig, Northern Samar, and Lake Bito Wetlands in MacArthur, Leyte.

So far, there has been no report of unusual deaths of migratory birds in these areas. But the regional AI task force is not leaving anything to chance. Early this year, Bantay Ibon Brigades were created for the Guiuan, Carigara Bay, Ormoc Bay and Lake Bito wetlands.

Survey results

“We have surveyed these areas and we already have the results on what species of migratory birds were usually found in these areas,” Viojan said. Among the birds were plovers, rails, herons, Chinese egrets and storks.

Members of the Bantay Ibon Brigade are village officials whom they contacted through the municipal mayor and agriculture officer.

“One of the concerns (during the organizational meeting) was the confusion it would make if the names of the birds would be interchanged. So, we suggested the making of a brochure about wetlands and the birds that would serve as a field guide,” Viojan said.

During the training, the members were shown pictures of migratory birds known to visit their areas and told of their English names. They were asked to give the local name of a bird, if any.

Viojan said the brigade would report to the task force using the local names of the birds.

“If they encounter any bird for the first time and could not identify it, they can accompany their report with a drawing of the bird showing basic features like the color of the beak and feet,” Viojan said.

The members were warned not to get close to any infected bird or poultry. “In case there are mortalities, it is important that those who would go there are equipped with protection gears,” Viojan explained.

The brigade has been tasked with monitoring bird movements in the wetlands at least once a week. It has been provided with communication links or a list of persons to contact in case of emergencies.

Enthusiastic

So far, the new bird watching group has been formed in about 50 barangays in Guiuan, Carigara, Barugo, MacArthur and Merida towns, and in Ormoc.

Viojan said the monitoring activities would go full swing in October yet, when the brochures are available.

The villagers “are already enthusiastic to start their monitoring,” he revealed.

But what is important, he added, is that the volunteers for disease surveillance and response had shown that the task force was not only the concern of the government but also of the people.

“The people have to participate in monitoring their places of bird flu because they would be among those to be affected if there is an (avian influenza) outbreak,” Viojan said.

Quarantine stations in major seaports and airports in the region have been strengthened to prevent the transport or entry of exotic birds affected by the avian influenza virus.