GENERAL SANTOS CITY ( MindaNews / 18 December ) — Conservationists have documented a pair of the rare Mindanao Bleeding-heart (Gallicolumba crinigera), a vulnerable ground-dwelling dove found only in the Philippines, in the karst forests of Mt. Hilong-Hilong in Surigao del Norte, the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) reported Wednesday.

“Observed as a pair, this rare and secretive bird reminds us that these KBA forests continue to provide vital habitat for its survival and possibly its breeding,” PEF said in a December 17 Facebook caption of a video of the sighting.

To capture the rare footage, the research team used camera traps to document the elusive pair after several weeks of monitoring in the forests.

Named for the distinctive blood-red patch on its chest, the Mindanao Bleeding-heart is endemic to the Philippines and spends most of its time on the forest floor, making sightings extremely difficult. 

The species is listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, meaning it faces a high risk of extinction in the wild. Habitat loss and fragmentation from logging, agriculture, and mining continue to threaten its survival.

The PEF noted that the documentation forms part of broader conservation efforts under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) / Global Environment Facility (GEF) Biodiversity Corridor Project.

According to the foundation, the initiative is a collective effort involving the PEF and the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) of Surigao del Norte to “protect high-value forests, support globally threatened species, and promote biodiversity-friendly initiatives in key ecological areas of Surigao del Norte.”

“This discovery highlights the ecological importance of remaining forest areas and the urgent need to protect them amid ongoing threats from deforestation and habitat loss,” PEF added.

To protect the birds from potential poaching or disturbance, the PEF is intentionally withholding the exact location of the observation. The foundation also encouraged the public to support ongoing conservation efforts. (Guia A. Rebollido / MindaNews)