The Mount Makiling Forest Reserve ASEAN Heritage Park is home to an incredible array of biodiversity. For the month of May 2026, the Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems (MCME) is proud to spotlight a small but vital avian resident of our forest canopy: the Red-Keeled Flowerpecker (Dicaeum australe). If you’ve…
With its rich chestnut-brown head, breast, and underparts contrasting beautifully against bright blue wings and back, the Brown-breasted Kingfisher (Halcyon gularis) is a medium-sized bird that stands out in the Philippine landscape. Its large red bill adds a striking accent to this colorful combination. A Versatile Hunter The Brown-breasted Kingfisher…
With a wingspan of 120-140 mm, the Scarlet Mormon (Papilio rumanzovia) is a large, striking butterfly that commands attention wherever it appears. This species is known for its strong, deliberate flight as it moves through forests and gardens across the Philippines. A Tale of Two Sexes The Scarlet Mormon displays…
With its pale bluish-gray to translucent wings highlighted by dark veins and margins, the Gray Glassy Tiger (Ideopsis juventa) is a medium-sized butterfly that lives up to its name. Its delicate, glassy appearance makes it one of the more distinctive butterflies found in the forests of Mount Makiling. A Slow…
With its striking pattern of glossy black scales adorned with bold yellow crossbands, the Luzon Mangrove Snake (Boiga dendrophila divergens) is one of the Philippines’ most visually stunning reptiles. This large, robust snake moves comfortably both on the ground and in the trees of the forests and mangroves it inhabits.…
If you’ve ever walked along the streams and rivers of Mount Makiling, you might have caught a glimpse of what looks like a tiny crocodile darting across the rocks or slipping into the water. Don’t be alarmed—you’ve just encountered one of the Philippines’ most fascinating endemic reptiles: the Spiny Waterside…