A ‘lost’ Philippine pigeon reappears after 20 years — but its forest is disappearing

A camera trap in the Puerto Galera rainforest photographed a Mindoro bleeding-heart pigeon in August, the first confirmed image of the critically endangered species in two decades. Multiple ornithologists, including experts from the University of the Philippines and BirdLife International, independently confirmed the bird's identity from its orange-red chest spot and iridescent plumage.

The species was last confirmed in 2005, caught in a snare meant for junglefowl, and had since been listed as 'lost' after a decade without documentation. This bird turned up well above the elevation where the species normally lives, which researchers read less as expansion than as displacement, since lower forest has been degraded by tourism growth.

The photograph came from camera traps deployed with Iraya Mangyan patrollers under a local conservation program. Researchers say the single image proves survival but offers no population estimate, and are calling for expanded habitat protection and further surveys.

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