It’s the metallic lilac and orange tone with bright blue spots of the South Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher that makes this ultra rare bird ultra attractive. The South Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher The South Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher, or Ceyx mindanesis, was described to be the tiniest species of forest kingfishers in 1890 during the Steere Expedition. As its name suggests, it is found in Mindanao and Basilan–found in the southern islands of the Philippines. It makes a “high-pitched, insect-like, and almost inaudible zeeep,” but scientists have very rarely seen the creature as it perches very quietly on trees and because its beautiful colors help the bird hide from ‘suspecting’ human eyes. The Recent Ultra Rare Sighting In a recent walk by a team from the Robert S. Kennedy Philippine Bird Conservancy, South Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher was spotted, and photographs were taken, for the first time. The team led by the conservancy’s director, Miguel David de Leon, have been attempting to study and document the nesting, feeding, and breeding behaviors of the rare bird for ten years now. And …