Sorry guys, I'm referring to the feathered variety, or rather the lack of them. During our last trip to the Philippines I did see a few sparrow-like birds in Cagayan, but my mahal told me that when she was young in the 1970's there were many more, hawks, pigeons and all kinds of small birds. The main problem is that people have used bird lime on a large scale to catch them for food, together with a loss of habitat. It seems to me that over the years, despite all of the many problems, maufactured goods, motor bikes and t.v. sets and the like have become more affordable to the average Filipino, but basic foodstuffs have often increased in price. The Philippine government needs to concentrate on agricultural modernisation and creating more wildlife sanctuaries.
.... although with birds it is usually the eggs that go first.
