Philippine Cuckoo-Dove

This colorful endemic dove was captured in the foothills of Antipolo mountains in 2009. A birdshooter friend ( Ding C.)  informed me that these birds were frequenting a certain fruiting tree beside his house. I immediately convinced Ding to “invite” me to his abode. He did just that and I “accepted” the invitation pronto.

The challenge in capturing decent photos of this species in-habitat is how to find a fruiting tree they feed on. Once the feeding area is known, it becomes a pretty easy job – just go to the spot before sunrise and wait for the doves to come in and feed in the early morning golden light.

Many thanks to Ding for the hospitality, the sumptuous breakfast and the exciting birding tales. Ding’s very nice house is situated at a hillside, surrounded by bird-laden vegetation and trees, and overlooking Metro Manila.

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Philippine Cuckoo-Dove (Macropygia tenuirostris, a Philippine endemic)

Habitat – Lowland forest to montane mossy forest.

Shooting Info – Antipolo City, Philippines, February 4, 2009, Canon 5D MII + EF 500 f4 IS + Canon 1.4x TC II, f/8, ISO 320, 1/500 sec, 475B/3421 support, manual exposure in available light.

Click here for some video clips of this endemic dove.