Cebu, being a home of forests which are found in the distant southern and northern parts of the province, is a dwelling of different species of insects and birds. One bird which is endemic or only found in Cebu is the Black Shama (Copsychus cebuensis). Sadly, however, due to the changes in time and the development of the province that have damaged the forests, these birds are now endangered species.

*image sourced from arkive,org

The Black Shama is often referred to as Siloy although it is more appropriately called the “siloy itom” since there are a lot of birds from Shama family that are referred to as siloy in the Cebuano dialect and may not be necessarily the ones endemic to Cebu.

The Black Shama is an eight-inch low-flying bird found mostly in the forests of Alcoy and Argao and the shrublands of Casili, Consolacion. This black bird sings melodiously especially during dawn or dusk. Though the siloy itom is very rare, it was nevertheless declared as the Provincial Bird of Cebu and Consolacion also acknowledged it as their Municipal Bird. To encourage in protecting these endangered birds, Alcoy, a town in Southern Cebu, celebrates the Siloy Festival every year. It is also because a lot of tourists go to the town only to hear the song of the Black Shama.

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