During the April bird survey conducted by conservation staff at the Dongsha Management Station of the Marine National Park Headquarters (hereinafter referred to as the Headquarters), large numbers of Grey-faced Buzzards and Oriental Pratincoles—both protected species—were recorded passing through Dongsha. The numbers far exceeded previous annual records.
According to the Dongsha Management Station, a single-day survey in April documented 58 Grey-faced Buzzards, a protected raptor species, and 30 Oriental Pratincoles. The Grey-faced Buzzard, commonly known in Taiwan as the “National Day Bird,” is often seen perching in flocks atop taller trees on the island, where dozens can be observed roosting and soaring together in magnificent formations. Oriental Pratincoles, meanwhile, gather in flocks on open ground and near ponds. Compared with survey results commissioned in 2008 to the Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society, when the highest single-day records were 30 Grey-faced Buzzards and 18 Oriental Pratincoles respectively, the significant increase over the past three years indicates the success of ecological conservation efforts in Dongsha Atoll National Park.
Dongsha Atoll National Park is located in the northern South China Sea. Dongsha Island is the only island in this region and lies far from the mainland. Each year during the spring and autumn migratory seasons, it attracts large numbers of birds that stop to rest during migration. In recent years, the Headquarters has also strengthened native vegetation restoration on Dongsha Island, while stationed military personnel and Coast Guard officers have embraced ecological conservation as a shared mission, striving to minimize human disturbance. With these favorable conditions, Dongsha Island has become an important stopover site for migratory birds traveling between breeding and wintering grounds. In addition to its rich marine ecosystems, this represents another invaluable natural asset of Dongsha Atoll National Park.
A wide variety of bird species has been recorded on Dongsha Island. According to past survey records, more than 231 species have been documented, including numerous protected species such as the Black-faced Spoonbill, Chinese Egret, Short-eared Owl, Long-eared Owl, Eastern Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian Hobby, Osprey, and Black-naped Oriole. Other rare species recorded include the Black-capped Kingfisher, Eurasian Hoopoe, Streaked Shearwater, and Mandarin Duck, all of which are seldom seen on Taiwan’s main island. Since March this year, staff stationed at the Dongsha Management Station have undertaken monthly bird resource surveys, aiming to gain a more comprehensive understanding of avian ecology within the park and to apply survey findings to bird conservation and natural resource management efforts in the future.
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| Oriental Pratincole resting on the ground (Photo: Research Assistant Huang Shih-bin) | Flock of Grey-faced Buzzards flying over Dongsha Island (Photo: Technician Chiu Yi-chuan) |