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close| Location | Philippines, Region X |
| Central coordinates | 126o 2.00' East 9o 53.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, A2 |
| Area | 67,726 ha |
| Altitude | 0 - 290m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2001 |
Ornithological information Several of the threatened and restricted-range species of the Mindanao and Eastern Visayas Endemic Bird Area have been recorded on the island of Siargao, mainly during a collecting expedition in 1972, including Lesser Eagle-owl, Silvery Kingfisher and Wattled Broadbill. This IBA is particularly notable for the population of the critically endangered Philippine Cockatoo that survives there.
Site description This IBA includes the adjacent islands of Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, which lie a few kilometers off the north-eastern coast of Mindanao. They are low-lying islands that rise to a maximum altitude of only 290 m. There are very extensive mangrove forests on the island, which cover a total of c. 8,700 ha. There are large areas of old growth lowland dipterocarp forest (reported to cover c.12% of the island) and secondary or residual forest (reported to cover 33% of the island), and areas of grassland (reported to cover 12% of the island).
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philippine Cockatoo Cacatua haematuropygia | - | 2001 | present [units unknown] | - | A1 | Critically Endangered |
| Giant Scops-owl Otus gurneyi | - | 2001 | present [units unknown] | - | A1 | Vulnerable |
| Silvery Kingfisher Alcedo argentata | - | 2001 | present [units unknown] | - | A1 | Vulnerable |
| Mindanao Broadbill Eurylaimus steerii | - | 2001 | present [units unknown] | - | A1 | Vulnerable |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Siargao | Protected Landscape/Seascape | 58,290 | protected area contains site | 67,726 |
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Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Artificial landscapes (terrestrial) | - | |
| Forest | - |
Other biodiversity Other threatened and endemic animals recorded on Siargao include the Saltwater Crocodile Crocodylus porosus, marine turtles (Hawksbill Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata, etc.), Philippine Tarsier Tarsius syrichta, Flying Lemur Cynocephalus volans and Dugong Dugong dugon. The interesting flora includes fire orchids, century orchids Dendrobium and Pitcher plants Nepenthes spp.
Management considerations The increasing population of the islands is putting very significant pressure on the natural environment. Problems include the collection of forest products, particularly timber and mangrove cutting. Birds are hunted on the islands and there are illegal fishing activities.
Protection status Siargao Island was declared a Protected Landscape and Seascape in 1996 (with an area of 278,914.131 ha, and the coordinates: 9o30’-10o05’N 125o50’-126o15’E). It is a GEF CPPAP site (157,378 ha, of which 67,726 ha is terrestrial).
Conservation response Surveys are required in this IBA, to investigate both the extent and quality of the remaining habitats and the current status of the threatened and restricted-range birds and other biodiversity.
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Siargao Island Protected Landscape and Seascape. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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