Brooke's Point to Ursula Island Birdwatching

Ursula Island is one of the Philippines' oldest declared bird sanctuaries, set aside in 1960 and lying around 20 kilometres off Brooke's Point in southern Palawan. This full-day birdwatching expedition takes you by boat across calm southern Palawan waters to a tiny 17-hectare island cloaked in old-growth lowland forest, where roughly 27 species of wild birds gather. The undisputed spectacle is the nightly homecoming of the pied imperial pigeon, known locally as kamaso: counts have recorded almost 28,000 of them returning to roost, darkening the sky as they spiral in.

Beyond the kamaso, sharp-eyed visitors can spot the endemic Palawan tabon scrubfowl, the rare Nicobar pigeon, the Mantanani scops owl, sea eagles, and reef egrets. The forest floor and surrounding beaches double as nesting grounds for hawksbill, loggerhead, and green sea turtles, making the island a genuine biodiversity hotspot rather than just a scenic stop. Birders time their visit for the late afternoon, roughly two hours before sunset, when the returning flocks reach their peak.

Because the sanctuary is strictly protected, every visit is permitted and low-impact, the way serious wildlife watching should be. This is an off-the-beaten-path outing for nature lovers willing to travel for one of the country's great natural gatherings.