The National Bird that Never Was

I grew up thinking this tiny brown bird is the Maya referred to as the former national bird. It's the more common bird that can be seen even in the city and I guess people thought it's being common is the same as being endemic; therefore worthy of the status national bird. Many Pinoys have the same incorrect notion as I do. The real Maya bird is brownish red in body and has a black head. The bird in the photo is the Eurasian Tree Sparrow and was never the national bird. Nonetheless, a bird so easily taken for granted is one that I miss nowadays. We used to reside in a place where they could be seen in plenty. With more urbanization. more condominiums in the city, they mostly concentrate now just where there are parks and trees.




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