The Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is famously known as a diving more than 360 species of Coral, and almost 700 species of Fishes. This protected area is notably also one of the few safe spaces where Seabirds thrive and breed in the Philippines.
In part one, we met the celebrity Seabirds Alon and Amihan, the Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra) pair who are restarting the Philippine population of these unique Birds. This time, we’re going to meet a few more celebrity Seabirds whom you can meet at the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park.
CELEBRITY SEABIRD #1: RED-FOOTED BOOBY (S. sula)
Personality: Flamboyant with a big personality, despite being on the small side of the Sula genus. They are known for agile aerial maneuvers.
Likes: Live animals from the sea, such as Flying Fish and Squid
Dislikes: Humans who get too close and cut down the trees they use for building nests
Hobbies: Diving into the waves. Red-Footed Boobies dive straight into the water to catch their favorite sea animals.
CELEBRITY SEABIRD #2: BROWN BOOBY (S. leucogaster)
Personality: Looks suave with a chocolate-dipped pattern. They are also known for their agile flight pattern.
Likes: Live animals from the sea, and traveling. They are the most widespread species of the Sula genus.
Dislikes: Introduced predators, including Rats, Mice, and Cats, who eat them.
Hobbies: Snatching Fishes. According to Birdlife International, female Brown Boobies tend to commit kleptoparasitism, where they would steal food from other Seabirds.
CELEBRITY SEABIRD #3: BROWN NODDY (A. stolidus)
Personality: A bit of a goth with a serious and solemn look, but they enjoy family time in their dense colonies.
Likes: Live sea animals like Fishes, Shellfish, and any Insects they can find
Dislikes: House Rats (Rattus rattus). They find them bothersome!
Hobbies: Flying low over water to nab food from the surface of the water.
CELEBRITY SEABIRD #4: SOOTY TERN (O. fuscatus)
Personality: These tuxedo-wearing Terns go straight to business. They congregate quickly when small Fishes are driven to the surface by predators.
Likes: Loud house parties. According to the Audubon Field Guide, the colonies of Sooty Terns are always noisy with their raucous calls.
Dislikes: Climate change! According to Birdlife International, some colonies in north Australia are struggling to find food because of the changing sea surface temperatures.
Hobbies: Dancing with a partner. Their courtship involves strutting with bowing while on the ground and high flying with dives when in the air.
CELEBRITY SEABIRD #5: GREAT-CRESTED TERN (T. bergii)
Personality: Experienced tourist with a travel Instagram. They’re known to travel to different kinds of habitats: marshes, Coral reefs, lagoons, the open sea and other wetland areas.
Likes: Buffets. Their diverse diet can include typical sea animals: Fishes, Squids, Crustaceans. They also like Insects and baby Sea Turtles.
Dislikes: Getting spooked from their nest as it leaves their eggs vulnerable to predators.
Hobbies: Styling their long black crest for breeding season.
WHY SAVE SEABIRDS?
According to Retch Alaba, the Assistant Protected Area Superintendent/Research Officer of the Tubbataha Reef Natural Park, Seabirds spend all their lives out in the open ocean and they depend on a healthy marine environment for food. Their droppings or guano act as fertilizer on the islets and islands where they breed and help supply nutrients essential for coral growth and stability.
THE COMMUNITY CARING FOR TUBBATAHA
Alaba says a team from the Tubbataha Management Office, Philippine Navy and Coast Guard personnel, and Bantay Dagat staff from the Municipality of Cagayancillo all work together to protect Bird Islet. This includes regular monitoring and Seabird population counts of the area. Because the sandbar can be so fragile, only rangers and researchers can set foot on the islet.
The Tubbataha Reef Natural Park team often shares their exciting work on Facebook and Instagram, featuring snippets like Mama Ranger Diaries and Field Reports. Don’t forget to follow them to keep up with their story!
HOW CAN WE HELP EVEN FROM FAR AWAY?
One ideal way to support the Tubbataha Reef Natural Park is to visit and admire the Seabirds, because tourism and visitors help support the research and conservation efforts. Unfortunately, this can be pretty inaccessible for a lot of people, but you can still play your part!
The park is prone to marine plastic debris and rangers have seen Seabird nests with toothbrushes, fishing ropes, bottle caps, and other plastic materials. Even worse, there are cases of a Seabird roosting on the islet with fishing line and hooks tangled around their body.
By being conscious about our plastic consumption and lobbying for a more circular economy here on the mainland, we’re also doing our part to protect these Birds.
SEABIRD SPOTS ARE RARE
According to the Tubbataha team, it’s relatively rare to find Seabird breeding spots across the Philippines, but Brown Noddies and Sooty Terns have a considerable population in Lawak Island in Kalayaan, Palawan. These isolated islands can be challenging to protect and conservation efforts are necessary to ensure their breeding success.
WHERE, OH, WHERE DO YOU GO?
According to Alaba, there’s a gap in our understanding of where Black Noddies, Great-Crested Terns, and Sooty Terns go outside of the Tubbataha Park. They’re planning to use satellite trackers to observe where these Birds fly off to.
