The Marine National Park Headquarters (hereinafter referred to as the Headquarters), in cooperation with the Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society, has long conducted ecological surveys of migratory land birds during passage periods at Dongsha Atoll National Park. In early May 2010, a rare bird species—the male adult Tiger Shrike—was once again recorded. It was observed in the windbreak forest at the southwestern corner of Dongsha’s southern shore, perching among Leucaena shrubs and occasionally flying down to the ground to forage.
The Tiger Shrike breeds in northeastern and northern China, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan, and migrates south in winter to southern China, the Indochina Peninsula, and the Indonesian archipelago. Based on its migratory behavior, it is presumed that a small number of Tiger Shrikes pass through Dongsha Island during migration. This strikingly beautiful species is extremely rare in the wild in Taiwan. According to the database of the Wild Bird Federation Taiwan, there have been only 17 records on Taiwan’s main island to date, along with 3 records in Penghu. The last record on Taiwan’s main island was on April 28, 2007, at Yehliu in Taipei, with no subsequent sightings until now. Dongsha Island previously recorded a juvenile Tiger Shrike in August 2008. Within just two years, this magnificent adult male has now been documented again.
The Headquarters noted that, like the Tiger Shrike, many migratory birds pass through Dongsha during the spring migration season. Regular spring migrants include the Chinese Sparrowhawk, Grey-faced Buzzard, Lesser Cuckoo, Asian Koel, Little Bunting, Rusty Bunting, Brown Shrike, Yellow-browed Warbler, and Dusky Warbler, among others. Many of these species are seldom seen on Taiwan’s main island, yet are recorded annually at Dongsha. Surrounded by open sea, Dongsha Island serves as a crucial resting and refueling site for migratory birds that arrive exhausted and hungry after long-distance flights. After replenishing their energy, they continue their journey northward to distant breeding grounds.
Since the winter of 2007, the Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society and the Marine National Park Headquarters have collaborated on avian ecological surveys, documenting numerous new records and bringing the total number of bird species recorded at Dongsha Atoll National Park to 231. The vast majority are migratory species, markedly different from the avifauna of Taiwan’s main island. This confirms that Dongsha Atoll National Park is an important stopover site for migratory birds and highlights its rich biodiversity.