The Office of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (OPENRO) will conduct an inventory of the “dulungan” bird, or the Rufuos-headed Hornbill, for preservation and conservation purposes.

OPENRO Vivian Marfil said in an interview Monday that they will conduct the bird count in 12 municipalities this August to mark the fourth year of the Dulungan Month celebration.

“The 12 municipalities are those where the dulungan were previously sighted. We will be conducting the bird counting to know the municipality with the most number of dulungan,” Marfil said.

The initiative will cover San Remigio, Patnongon, Bugasong, Laua-an, Barbaza, Tibiao, Culasi, Sebaste, Pandan, and Valderrama located along the Central Panay Mountain Ranges (CPMR) and Libertad and Sibalom, both outside the CPMR.

They will present the initial result during the culminating activity on August 27.

She added that they would know where to embark on massive tree-growing activities once they identify the endemic bird’s habitat.

Native tree species such as pili, santol, bawang, and lunok will be planted to serve as their habitat and fruit trees for their source of food.

“During the first two years of the Dulungan Month celebration, we had tree growing activities in Barangay Flores, Culasi, where we planted 2,000 seedlings of narra and various fruit-bearing trees,” Marfil said.

She said that last year, they had an information and education campaign for the protection of the birds and the wildlife field course training participated by representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Municipal ENRO, University of Antique, Saint Anthony’s College and from the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian.

They will be tapped for the bird counting this year.

“We have to protect and conserve the dulungan because it is being considered as the farmer of the forest,” Marfil said.

Provincial Ordinance 2020-208 mandated the celebration of the Dulungan Month in Antique every August. (PNA)