Ultra-Rare South Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher Photographed for the Very First Time

The South Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx mindanensis) was first described 130 years ago during the Steere Expedition to the Philippines in 1890.

Nest Sites Discovered. De Leon and his team of biologists traveled to forests in Cagayan de Oro and conducted research from 2007 to 2017. At Mapawa Nature Park, they found two nesting sites of the South Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher. Unfortunately, the first nesting site was destroyed by trespassers before any scientific observations could be made. The second nesting site was untouched. They found it three meters above the forest floor, attached to a tree trunk. The dwarf kingfishers are cavity nesters, meaning they excavate nest holes in earth banks and termite nests called termitaria. The species feeds on a variety of small creatures including earthworms, small lizards, and other invertebrates. Threats to the South Philippine.