Article

Victor B. Amoroso, Director of the Centre for Biodiversity Research and Extension in Mindanao (CEBREM) in the Central Mindanao University (University Town, Musuan Bukidnon, Philippines); e-mail: victorbamoroso@gmail.com
Alma B. Mohagan, Professor of the Department of Biology in the Central Mindanao University (University Town, Musuan Bukidnon, Philippines); e-mail: almohagan@gmail.com
Fulgent P. Coritico, University Researcher of the Centre for Biodiversity Research and Extension in Mindanao (CEBREM) in the Central Mindanao University (University Town, Musuan Bukidnon, Philippines); e-mail: cfulgent@gmail.com
Noel E. Lagunday, Research Assistant of the Centre for Biodiversity Research and Extension in Mindanao (CEBREM) in the Central Mindanao University (University Town, Musuan Bukidnon, Philippines); e-mail: lagundaynoel@gmail.com
Aimanuelzon P. Yorong, Research Assistant of the Centre for Biodiversity Research and Extension in Mindanao (CEBREM) in the Central Mindanao University (University Town, Musuan Bukidnon, Philippines); e-mail: exwezon@gmail.com
Ruel D. Colong, Park Superintendent of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary PASO (Davao Oriental Province, Philippines); e-mail: ruelcolz@yahoo.com
Roy G. Ponce, Vice President for Research and Extension of the Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology.

Amoroso V.B., Mohagan A.B., Coritico F.P., Lagunday N.E., Yorong A.P., Colong R.D., Ponce R.G. 2018. Avifaunal assemblage in the expansion sites of the Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary, Mindanao, Philippines. Nature Conservation Research 3(Suppl.2): 103–109. https://dx.doi.org/10.24189/ncr.2018.069

The Protected Area of the Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary (MHRWS) was proposed for expansion in 2016 to protect the remaining biodiversity of the buffer zones and to fortify the core zone. This study provides data on avifaunal assemblage and assessment on the added value of the ca. 2.99 km2 MHRWS expansion sites to the already protected zone. A combination of transect line survey and mist netting technique were used to sample bird species in four sampling sites in the MHRWS expansion sites. Our inventory of the MHRWS expansion sites revealed 41 species of birds distributed to 10 orders, 24 families and 34 genera. This adds 24 avifauna species to the previously reported birds in Mt. Hamiguitan Range making it a home to 83 species. The low species diversity in the MHRWS expansion sites could be attributed to the poor soil, low forest productivity and habitat loss. The presence of threatened and endemic species of birds in the Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary expansion sites appeals for conservation initiatives by the stakeholders.

biodiversity, diversity index, species composition, threatened and endemic species, similarity index

Received: 30.05.2018

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