The Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Northern Mindanao (DENR-10) has announced the successful captive breeding of the Mindanao Bleeding-heart Pigeon (Gallicolumba crinigera) at the Return Flights Raptor Facility (RFRF) in Cugman, Cagayan de Oro City owned by eye surgeon and known wildlife conservationist Dr. Miguel David L. De Leon. The bird endemic to the Philippines is so named because of a blood red patch on its breast and is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List.
Photo shows a newly-hatched Mindanao Bleeding Heart Pigeon chick alongside with its mother inside the holding and captive breeding facility of the RFRF during a visit by a team from the DENR-10 last January 10, 2023. The RFRF is just near DENR-10’s Malasag Reforestation Project.
According to a media release, the bird was hatched on December 27, 2022 inside the facility. It is a progeny of a Mindanao Bleeding-heart Pigeon turned-over to the RFRF with trap injuries four years ago.
Photo below shows Dr. Miguel David L. De Leon (left) introducing to Jun Rey Labalan (right), a Protected Area Management and Biodiversity Conservation Section staff of DENR-10, the newly hatched bird during their visit last January 10, 2023. De Leon is the director of the Robert S. Kennedy Bird Conservancy, a group that specializes in bird photography for their protection.
De Leon has been involved in the Philippine Raptors Conservation Program through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the DENR-10 signed on July 1, 2014. Under the program, the DENR authorizes him to take temporary custody and care of injured wildlife, particularly bird species and releasing them back to the wild.
