Celebrating Philippine Birds for Draw a Bird Day

Every year on April 8, artists and nature lovers around the world celebrate Draw a Bird Day, an event that highlights the beauty of birds through art!

This year, we invited Haribon Members, staff, and interns to share illustrations of local species. By sharing artwork along with personal reflections on the process, these contributors help us bridge the gap between science and art.

Among those who shared their work is a long-time member and educator, a new member finding healing in nature, and a 7-year-old finding balance between strength and softness in her art.

These stories represent just a portion of our community’s creativity. Read on to discover the specific artistic processes and inspiration behind these unique Philippine birds.

Philippine Eagle by Ziah Yzabella S.

The youngest contributor in this collection is seven-year-old Ziah, who chose to depict the Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi). Her mother Jayzzel is part of our Admin team.

For Ziah, the motivation was clear: she drew the eagle because “it looks super strong and cool!” Its “big wings and strong look” were the first features that captured her attention and inspired her to start drawing.

While other contributors focused on the technical shading or the species’ territorial nature, Ziah spent her time refining the bird’s expression. Her favorite detail to work on was the eyes, where she tried to balance the eagle’s natural power with a sense of warmth.

“I liked making them look friendly,” Ziah explains. “I made the eyes look kind and nice, but still strong like a cool bird!”

Her contribution reminds us that the future of conservation starts with a generation that sees our national symbols with both awe and affection.

Blue-naped Parrot by Paul Anton Mahinay

Paul has been a member of the Haribon Foundation since 2018 and serves his community as a science teacher.

For his contribution, he chose to depict the Blue-naped Parrot (Tanygnathus lucionensis), noting, “I chose this species because of its colors. I love green and blue”.

Beyond the aesthetics, Paul was motivated by the bird’s status as a Near Threatened species on the IUCN Red List and his childhood love for parrots. When starting the artwork, he shared that the bird’s “bright beak” caught his attention first, which also became his favorite detail to create.

Paul shared some challenges, especially when using a limited set of art materials. He explained that he “used acrylic markers, which made blending quite difficult,” particularly when trying to capture the transition of colors in the feathers.

Despite this, his motivation is also rooted in his professional life – he joined Haribon to “be an example to my students to take part in an organization making an action for our environment”.

He also shared a fun fact that many enjoy: these birds have the remarkable ability to “mimic human speech”.

Learn more about Haribon’s Illegal Parrot Trade project here, where we work with people to help conserve parrots in the Philippines and abroad.

Rufous Paradise-flycatcher by Genille Nojor

For Genille, who joined Haribon in March 2026, art has become a meaningful way to practice stewardship after a significant personal health journey.

Her subject, the Rufous Paradise-flycatcher (Terpsihone Cinnamomea) locally known as Pinantat, holds a special place in her heart. She describes it as the “first ever rare bird I saw after attending my first birdwatching in 2024 in UP Diliman”.

Genille was immediately captivated by its “vibrant orange color and the blue around its eyes,” details she focused heavily on while coloring the eyes and body of her artwork. While she found the “layering of the colors” to be a challenge, it was a process she ultimately enjoyed.

Her commitment to protecting the environment is deeply personal; after undergoing surgery in late 2025 and receiving benign results, she felt a profound sense of gratitude.

“To give back, I want to be a good steward of God’s creation by protecting our environment,” she explains. Through her art, she realized the importance of paying attention to her surroundings, noting that she has begun to “open my eyes to see every detail, like there are many different birds and plants that we also need to protect”.

Luzon Bleeding-heart Pigeon by Noellé Dianne Laspiñas

Noellé has been a dedicated Haribon member for nearly a decade. She contributed two submissions of the Luzon Bleeding-heart (Gallicolumba luzonica). Titled Puso sa Puso I and II, these pieces showcase her versatility across different media. The first rendition utilizes a vibrant yellow background in acrylic, while the second employs colored pencils against a soothing green backdrop.

Noellé notes that the choice of species was deeply personal, as the work “was originally meant to be a gift to someone who admired this bird.”

While she was initially drawn to the bird’s namesake “bleeding heart” chest patch, her favorite technical detail to work on was the intricate layering of the feathers. This focus on detail highlighted a significant difference between the two pieces: she observed that the “colored pencil version took so much more time compared to the acrylic version.”

Although she has yet to see this elusive bird in the wild, her art reflects a deep-seated commitment to its survival. Noellé joined Haribon because she “wanted to support a purely local organization focused on conservation efforts in the country.”

Magnificent Sunbird by Jorgia Amor Dagohoy

For Jorgia, the path back to art was sparked by a mesmerizing encounter with a Magnificent Sunbird (Aethopyga magnifica) during the Dulungan Count in Antique. Jorgia is Haribon’s Conservation Specialist working with communities in Panay.

“I told myself that I wanna do art again, I was really mesmerized,” she recalls, describing how the bird seemed to command her full attention. “It felt like I was being asked, ‘hey stop, look at me and pay attention.’” This experience transformed drawing and painting into a meditative practice—a way of “staying with the moment” and deepening her connection with the species she observes.

As a newcomer to bird art, Jorgia finds joy in the discovery of form, particularly when she can “hyper fixate” on specific features, patterns, and small details. This exploration was heightened by her choice of medium; working with pens presented a significant technical challenge because there was no option to erase.

“I just had to trust and vibe with every stroke,” she explains. “I stopped trying to control it, and just follow what I feel.”

Beyond the creative process, art serves a practical purpose for Jorgia, who admits she struggles to remember bird names and features.

Instead of forcing an immediate identification, she captures the bird on paper first and identifies it later sharing that “art became my memory.”

Brahminy Kite by Erron “Ron” John Roy

Ron is our Haribon communications intern from Asia Pacific College. As a multimedia major he typically focuses on human portraits, but his time with Haribon inspired him to draw more birds like this Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus). This was one of many birds he observed at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center in Quezon City.

He was struck by its “simple but striking pair of white and chestnut brown coloration,” noting that the bird “blends well in the trees but still distinct enough on its own.”

While he initially struggled with the scale of the sketch and the complexities of shading brown feathers, he was able to salvage the piece with small adjustments.

Erron notes an interesting cultural connection: the Brahminy Kite bears a striking resemblance to the Garuda, a sacred bird from Hindu mythology. Its Hindi name Brahmani, comes from its historical association with the Brahmin caste in India.

Negros Bleeding-heart by John Denzel S. Ternora

Jhon is also a Haribon intern from Aklan State University Ibajay campus, with our Species of Hope project in Panay. He submitted an illustration of the Negros Bleeding-heart (Gallicolumba keayi), the current flagship species of the SOH project today.

He hopes to raise awareness for its survival. He shared, “To anyone who sees this painting, they will know that this bird still exists but not many do, because it’s critically endangered,” referring to the bird’s status on the IUCN Red List.

While he has extensive experience with painting, this was his first time painting a bird. “In my art experience, I’ve done sketches and murals where I’ve painted all types of animals but not a bird, so it was a challenge,” he shared.

Despite this, he particularly enjoyed rendering the bird’s namesake feature—the vibrant red spot on its chest. “That spot is its defining symbol,” he explained.

Jhon also highlighted the bird’s distinct behavior as a ground-dwelling species. He found it fascinating that the Negros Bleeding-heart “prefers to walk rather than fly,” a characteristic he believes makes the species even more extraordinary.

Black-naped Oriole by Francine Gayle Santos

Haribon member Francine was inspired to paint the Black-naped oriole (Oriolus chinensis), or Kilyawan or Kiyaw, after a friend shared a video of two birds singing and flying outside a window at UP Diliman. 

While she had never seen anything like them in the city before, her brother—an avid naturalist—helped identify the species. Francine was immediately drawn to their “bright yellow plumage and black markings” which made them stand out distinctly from other urban birds.

“I loved painting the bright yellow of its feathers,” she shared. “It felt like I was bringing everything I loved about the black-naped oriole to life.” 

Her watercolor sketch involved a new technical approach: inking the piece before applying paint. This proved to be a learning experience, as she noted that the “detailed markings on the bird’s back made the line-art more complicated than I expected and caused the ink to run.” 

Despite the challenge, Francine noted that the project fostered a new awareness of the wildlife around her. 

“Learning about this species opened my eyes to the world of orioles, and made me more aware of seeing them out in the city,” shared Francine, “They just brighten my day.”

Southern Rufous Hornbill by Kathleen Zambas-Senga

For Kathleen, the Southern Rufous Hornbill (Buceros mindanensis)—locally known as Kayaw or Kalaw—represents an important memory during a trip through the mountains of Mindanao on Valentines Day in 2019.

On that day in Mt. Hilong-Hilong, she encountered a hornbill family perched high in the canopy. 

“The Kalaw was the first bird that truly made me stop and look—really look—at wildlife in its natural home,” she recalls. “Seeing it in the wild felt like an introduction to a world I had only known from books before.”

Her artwork, A Valentine from Mt. Hilong-Hilong, captures the bird’s majestic presence and loyal pair bonds. Kathleen was struck by the male’s dedication to guarding and feeding its partner and chick, a story of loyalty she sought to honor. 

While making the art, she enjoyed working on the beak.

“Capturing the precise details and coloration… was particularly challenging,” she explains, noting that color variations are what distinguish this species from other local hornbill species, like the Northern Rufous Hornbill in Luzon or the Dulungan in Panay.

The sighting was made more poignant by the song “Masdan Mo ang Kapaligiran” by Asin playing on the radio. When the lyrics, darating ang mga araw na ang mga ibong gala ay wala nang madadapuan (The days will come when exploring birds will have nowhere to land) played, she saw it as a “quiet reminder” to continue the work she does for the environment.

For Kathleen, this art is a way of holding onto that memory and deepening her commitment to development work. She also continues her dedication to conserving birds like the Kalaw as a member of the Haribon Foundation.

“Because moments like that shouldn’t become rare,” she added.

Philippine Eagle by Erron “Ron” John Roy

Ron submitted another artwork – the Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi).

His inspiration was solidified after a Haribon tree walk at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center, where he was “stunned at how beautiful it is, and even just sitting on a branch it is graceful”. 

Ron chose a technical approach called “hatching,” describing it as “the way you put pressure on the shading, how far or close the lines are to signify the brighter or darker the shade is”.

Erron worked directly with a pen and no pencil guidelines. While this made maintaining correct proportions a significant challenge, he believes the “little imperfections” actually improve the piece, stating it “makes the sketch more human… and have a particular rough aesthetic to it”.

Beyond technical skills, Ron was moved by the social behavior of the species, noting it was “wholesome to see they are faithful to their partner.” He is referring to the fact that Philippine Eagles are monogamous, or remain devoted to one mate as long as both are alive.

He views their presence in the wild as a vital part of our heritage, but showed concern about their threatened status. With only around 400 pairs estimated to be left in the wild, his concerns are valid.

“I wish that wasn’t the case with how great and majestic these birds are roaming and flying in the skies of the Philippines.”

Draw birds with us!

Haribon continues to accept submissions from Haribon Members for Draw a Bird Day and beyond.

For those who want to share their Philippine bird art, artist photos, and process details, simply become a Haribon Member and inform Haribon’s Communications team at communication@haribon.org.ph.

Your answers and photos will help us continue to celebrate the incredible biodiversity of the Philippines.

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