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Juvenile distribution pattern and conservation of the endangered Black-faced Spoonbill
EAAFP Small Grant Fund Project by Chi Yeung Choi, Jimmy Duke Kunshan University The individually-marked Black-faced Spoonbill ‘Y75’, was one of the twenty individuals tagged with satellite tracker. Y75 was ringed on Chilsando, Korea, 2nd July 2020, then seen on Taiwan Island 26th October 2020 ©Yi-Cheng Chen Among the threatened migratory waterbird species in the East Asian–Australasian Flyway (EAAF), the Black-faced Spoonbills (BFS) Platalea minor stands out as one of the very few species showing a recovering trend, from just a few hundred to more than 6,000 over the last 30 years partly due to the extensive conservation effort and BFSs’ ability to utilise artificial wetlands. Over the years, the foraging ecology (Yu et al. 2004a), habitat use (Yu et al. 2004b), threats (Sung et al. 2018) and migration routes (Wood et al. 2013) of BFS have been studied in various locations. Yet relatively little is known about their movement ecology, especially juveniles. In this proposed project, we aim to quantify the wintering distribution pattern of juvenile BFS in their first boreal winter using GPS-GSM transmitters. The ultimate goal is to identify the key regions where juvenile BFS winter and safeguard these areas for the continuous recovery of this endangered population. In 2020 June and July, juvenile BFS were captured near their nests from breeding islands along the west coast of South Korea. Measurements were recorded and unique colour ring combination on the tibia of BFS was used for individual marking. Solar-powered GPS/GSM satellite trackers (19g or 1.3% of juvenile BFS body weight) were deployed to the back of spoonbills using backpack method. Twenty juvenile BFS were captured and equipped with satellite trackers on their back during June and July 2020. Five individuals died without leaving Korea while one individual with tracker failure. In the remaining 14 individuals that left Korea and migrated, 10 of them (71.4%) spent their first winter in mainland China, two (14.3%) on Taiwan Island and two (14.3%) in southeast Japan. Among the 10 individuals that spent their first winter in mainland China, three individuals (30%) stayed in Jiangsu province and another three individuals (30%) in Zhejiang province, while two individuals (20%) resided in Guangdong, one individual in Hainan and one in Anhui. About half of these 14 wintering sites were protected. Among the 14 individuals that left Korea, the one that spent its first winter at the highest latitude (Jiangsu Lianyungang) and the one at the lowest latitude (Hainan) eventually died during their first winter. Our results showed the importance of the coastal wetlands in mainland China, especially those along the Jiangsu, Shanghai and Zhejiang coasts, for juvenile BFS during their southward migration and first winter. All tracked individuals that flew across the Yellow Sea from the west coast of Korea made their first landfall in coastal wetlands along the Jiangsu, Shanghai and Zhejiang coasts. The tracking results indicated the importance of coastal wetlands in Zhejiang Zhoushan, Hangzhou Bay and Wenzhou Bay to juvenile BFS. Moreover, two of the tracked birds that migrated successfully to mainland China for their first winter, eventually died at Lianyungang and Hainan. The cause of mortality was unclear but 35% of tracked BFS died within 6 months after released, showing the challenges that young BFS faced in their early years. It is important to record the potential cause of mortality and mitigate those threats to ensure the continuous population recovery of this endangered species. This project laid the important foundation for further tracking projects that will help researchers to determine the potential drivers for the observed juvenile wintering distribution pattern. This could be achieved by combining the tracking data with findings with annual synchronized censuses. Moreover, the tracking data could also be used to evaluate the extent to which protected areas along the flyway encompass the full range of habitats used by BFS during non-breeding season. The southward migration pathway and wintering distribution of satellite-tracked Black-faced Spoonbills in 2020 References: Sung Y-H, Tse IW-L, & Yu Y-T. 2018. Population trends of the Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor: analysis of data from international synchronised censuses. Bird Conservation International, 28(1), 157-167. Wood, C., Tomida, H., Jin-Han, K., Lee, K.S., Cho, H.J., Nishida, S., Ibrahim, J., Hur, W.H., Kim, Yu YT, & Swennen C. 2004a. Feeding of wintering Black-faced Spoonbills in Hong Kong: When and how long? Waterbirds, 27(2), 135-140. Yu YT, & Swennen C. 2004b. Habitat use of the Black-faced Spoonbill. Waterbirds, 27(2), 129-134. The project was funded through the 2020 EAAFP WG/TF Small Grant Fund. View the report, Click here.
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An Overview of China’s Policy on Spartina Control
Spartina in the estuary © Paulson Institute Mid-February 2023, five Chinese government departments, including the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, together with relevant departments of the State Council, issued the Special Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Spartina (2022-2025), which sets the goal of effectively controlling Spartina alterniflora throughout China by 2025, with a removal rate of over 90% in all provinces. The Action Plan is undoubtedly a shot in the arm for the coastal provinces to triumph over this invasive Spartina cordgrass and safeguard coastal ecosystems. Spartina cordgrass is native to the east coast of North America and the Gulf of Mexico, and was introduced to China for scientific research and utilization in 1979. Due to its salt tolerance and flood resistance, strong fecundity and well-developed root system, it was considered to be the best plant for promoting sedimentation, protecting embankments, and facilitating siltation and land formation. In the following 20 years, Spartina was widely introduced in many estuaries and mudflats of coastal China. However, there have been unforeseen negative consequences. With artificial planting and natural spread, Spartina now grows on coastal mudflats from Liaoning in the north to Hainan in the south, severely altering the natural environment and ecosystem processes of China's coastal wetlands. This, in turn, has negatively impacted biodiversity and ecosystem service values, and caused significant losses to aquaculture and shipping industries, among others. The history of Spartina control in China can be traced back to the late 1990s, when some scholars pointed out the danger of "widespread and uncurbed growth of Spartina" and recommended thorough research and development of site-specific eradication plans before implementing control projects. Later, as biological invasion became a new research topic of high interest to Chinese ecologists, the harmfulness of Spartina was further revealed, drawing the attention of the Chinese government. In order to tighten the prevention and control of Spartina, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (formerly SEPA) included Spartina in the List of Invasive Alien Species (First Batch) in 2003, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (formerly Ministry of Agriculture) included Spartina in the List of Invasive Alien Species for Key Nationwide Efforts of Control (First Batch) in 2013. Although Spartina was classed as an invasive species by China, some scholars suggested recognizing its positive ecological effects, such as wind and wave resistance, siltation and land formation, and carbon sequestration thus balancing the negative ecological effects. Since there was no strict legal basis to regulate exotic plants management at the time, and the two-sided nature of Spartina's ecological benefits had diminished the determination at the local level to eradicate this weed, control measures were not adopted fast enough to curb its rapid spread. Even in the late 2000s, Spartina was still being artificially planted in the mudflats of intertidal zones in some areas. Fortunately, while Spartina was spreading rampantly along China's coastline, the legal and policy system for invasive species was constantly being revised and improved. The 13th Five-Year Plan for National Ecological Protection called for "actively preventing and controlling invasive alien species" and "exploring and driving the system for managing biosafety and invasive alien species". This process has accelerated in recent years. The Biosafety Law of the People's Republic of China, which was implemented in 2021, proposes to "develop a list of invasive alien species and management methods" and "enhance the investigation, monitoring, early warning, control, assessment, removal and ecological restoration of invasive alien species". It also clearly stipulates that "no organization or individual may release or discard alien species without approval." The Wetland Protection Law of the People's Republic of China, which came into force in June 2022, also provides that "it is prohibited to introduce and release alien species into wetlands, and there should be science-based evaluation and approval in accordance with the law for those that do need to be introduced". To effectively strengthen the management of invasive alien species, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the General Administration of Customs promulgated the Measures for the Management of Invasive Alien Species in August 2022, which stipulates risk assessment, monitoring and early warning, and comprehensive control of invasive alien species. This document also proposes that invasive alien plants can be controlled with manual uprooting, mechanical eradication, spraying of green chemicals, release of natural enemies and other methods during the critical growth periods such as seedling, flowering or fruiting. At the same time, in response to the serious challenges facing coastline protection and utilization, China has introduced a series of targeted policies and invested resources to support the protection of coastal zones and the restoration of coastal wetland ecosystems, including the restoration of intertidal mudflats encroached by Spartina. For example, in 2020, the Master Plan on the Major Projects for the Protection and Restoration of China’s Key Ecosystems (2021-2035) proposed to "pursue comprehensive coastline and mudflats restoration, habitat conservation and restoration, and prevention and control of invasive alien species and ecological disasters", and "improve ecosystem quality of near-shore sea areas, restore typical habitats that have degraded and step up the protection of habitats along bird migration routes". The Plan also places particular emphasis on reinforcing the prevention and control of overgrown invasive alien species such as Spartina. In August 2020, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration jointly issued the Special Action Plan for Mangrove Protection and Restoration (2020-2025), which focuses on " intensifying the efforts to prevent and control harmful overgrowth of species such as Spartina". The just-released Special Action Plan for the Control of Spartina (2022-2025) was proposed in the context of the general trend that the Spartina invasion has caused a continuous decline in coastal wetland biodiversity, as well as recognizing that its invasion has not been effectively curbed and control measures are therefore much needed. In addition to a whole-territory background survey and comprehensive control, monitoring and assessment, the Action Plan will promote the ecological restoration of treated mudflats, bolster later-stage management and protection, and "adapt the measures to local conditions" by referring to the original ecosystems. At the same time, it will strengthen the scientific and technological support for Spartina prevention and control, formulate the Technical Guideline for Comprehensive Prevention and Control of Spartina to guide the precise treatment in different places, and further improve the laws and regulations and institutional system for work in this area. It is estimated that the current area of Spartina in China is about 68,000 hectares, more than twice the area of existing mangroves and equivalent to half the size of Chongming Island. If these mudflats can be restored to their original ecological functions after the removal of Spartina, they will provide new high-quality habitats for many migratory waterbirds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, protecting this shared natural heritage for future generations. Spartina control pilot in Yancheng (left) and Luannan (right) © Paulson Institute (Chinese version) 中国治理互花米草的政策概述 近日，中国国家林业和草原局等五部门会同国务院有关部门印发了《互花米草防治专项行动计划（2022—2025年）》，提出了力争到2025年全中国互花米草得到有效治理，各省份清除率达到90%以上的目标。这一行动计划无疑是为沿海各省打赢互花米草围剿战，实现全面构建坚实的海岸带生态安全屏障的目标注入了一剂强心针。 互花米草原产于北美东海岸及墨西哥湾，1979年被引入中国进行科学研究和开发利用。由于互花米草具有耐碱耐淹、繁殖力强、根系发达等特点，当时它被认为是保滩护堤、促淤造陆的最佳植物。在之后的20多年里，互花米草在中国广大的河口与沿海滩涂被广泛引种，用于促淤造陆和保滩护岸等工程，取得了一定的生态和经济效益, 但也带来了一系列危害：经过人工种植和自然繁殖扩散，互花米草在我国北起辽宁南至海南沿海海滩上均有生长，严重改变了中国滨海湿地的自然环境和生态系统过程，降低了生物多样性和生态系统服务价值，并使水产养殖业和航运业等遭受重大损失，造成了严重的生态和经济后果。 中国治理互花米草的历史可以追溯到上世纪90年代末，当时就已经有学者提出“米草蔓延成灾”的危害，并建议在实施治理工程前做周密的研究，制定因地制宜的根治方案等。之后随着生物入侵成为中国生态学界新的研究热点，互花米草的危害性也被进一步地揭示，并受到了中国政府的重视。为了加强互花米草的防控和治理，生态环境部（原国家环保总局）于2003年将互花米草列入《外来入侵物种名单（第一批）》，农业农村部（原农业部）于2013年将互花米草列入《国家重点管理外来入侵物种名录（第一批）》。虽然互花米草被国家盖了“入侵种”的帽子，但是考虑到其抗风防浪、促淤造陆和固碳等正生态效应，也有学者建议应充分发挥其正生态效应，抑制负生态效应，对其实行生态控制，同时对互花米草的生物质进行开发利用。由于彼时并没有严格的法律依据来规范外来植物的管理，而其生态效益的两面性又动摇了地方根除互花米草的决心，导致互花米草的治理进程远不敌其扩散速度，甚至在00年代末，仍有一些地区在潮间带光滩人工栽种互花米草。 幸亏当互花米草在中国沿海肆虐扩散的同时，针对入侵生物的法律和政策体系也在不断地修订完善。《全国生态保护“十三五”规划》就已经开始要求“积极防治外来物种入侵”， “探索推进生物安全和外来入侵物种管理制度化进程”。而这一进程在近几年开始加速。 2021年实施的《中华人民共和国生物安全法》提出要“制定外来入侵物种名录和管理办法”，“加强对外来入侵物种的调查、监测、预警、控制、评估、清除以及生态修复等工作”，并明确规定“任何单位和个人未经批准，不得擅自释放或丢弃外来物种”。2022年6月实施的《中华人民共和国湿地保护法》也规定“禁止向湿地引进和放生外来物种，确需引进的应当进行科学评估，并依法取得批准”。为切实加强外来入侵物种管理，2022年8月中国农业农村部、自然资源部、生态环境部、海关总署，颁布了《外来入侵物种管理办法》，对外来物种风险评估、监测预警、综合治理等作出规定，并提出对外来入侵植物的治理，可根据实际情况在其苗期、开花期或结实期等生长关键时期，采取人工拔除、机械铲除、喷施绿色药剂、释放生物天敌等措施。 另一方面，针对海岸线保护与利用的严峻形势，中国出台了一系列针对性政策，并投入了大量经费支持海岸带保护治理和滨海湿地生态修复，修复的受损湿地中也包括被互花米草侵占的潮间带滩涂。如2020年《全国重要生态系统保护和修复重大工程总体规划（2021—2035年）》提出要“综合开展岸线岸滩修复、生境保护修复、外来入侵物种防治、生态灾害防治”、 “改善近岸海域生态质量，恢复退化的典型生境，加强候鸟迁徙路径栖息地保护”，还特别强调加强互花米草等外来入侵物种灾害防治。而2020年8月，自然资源部、国家林草局联合印发《红树林保护修复专项行动计划（2020-2025年）》，也提到 “重点加强对互花米草等有害生物灾害的预防和控制”。 刚刚发布的《互花米草防治专项行动计划（2022—2025年）》更是结合互花米草入侵已造成滨海湿地生物多样性持续下降，以及其入侵尚未得到有效遏制、防治工作迫在眉睫等总体趋势而提出的。这项防治专项行动工作不但会对互花米草进行全境本底调查、综合治理和监测评估，还会推进治理后的滩涂地生态修复，强化后期管护，参照原生生态系统，“宜林则林、宜滩则滩、宜渔则渔”。另外，还会强化互花米草防治科技支撑，制定《互花米草综合防治技术指南》，指导各地精准治理，同时还会进一步完善互花米草防治法律法规和制度体系。 据估计，中国目前互花米草地面积约6.8万公顷，是现有红树林面积的2倍多，相当于半个崇明岛的大小，如若这些滩涂在清除互花米草后可以重新恢复原有的生态功能，将会为东亚-澳大利西亚迁徙路线上的众多候鸟提供新的高质量的栖息地，为我们的子孙后代守护住这些与人类同享生存空间的飞羽精灵。 参考文献 References： 林如求. 三都湾大米草和互花米草的危害及治理研究. 亚热带资源与环境学报, 1997(01):16-19. Lin Ruqiu. Research on the damage and management of Spartina Alterniflora in Sandu Bay. Journal of Subtropical Resources and Environment, 1997(01):16-19. Nie, Ming, Liu, Wenwen, Pennings, Steven C., and Li, Bo. 2023. “ Lessons from the Invasion of Spartina Alterniflora in Coastal China.” Ecology 104( 1): e3874. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.3874. http://news.mnr.gov.cn/dt/mtsy/202302/t20230217_2776203.html https://www.mee.gov.cn/gkml/zj/wj/200910/t20091022_172155.htm https://www.moa.gov.cn/nybgb/2013/dsanq/201712/t20171219_6119282.htm https://wzq1.mee.gov.cn/gkml/hbb/bwj/201611/t20161102_366739.htm https://www.meizhou.gov.cn/attachment/0/93/93705/2161160.pdf https://www.mee.gov.cn/ywgz/fgbz/fl/202112/t20211227_965347.shtml http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2022-06/17/content_5696171.htm https://www.ndrc.gov.cn/xxgk/zcfb/tz/202006/t20200611_1231112.html http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2020-08/29/content_5538354.htm https://www.forestry.gov.cn/main/586/20230220/181707754739731.html Prepared by Dr. Xiaojing Gan Conservation Manager, Paulson Institute https://www.paulsoninstitute.org/staff/xiaojing-gan/
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Special achievement award to the Chinese Crested Tern team
Nesting Chinese Crested Tern on Tiedun Dao of Jiushan Islands next to decoys for social attraction © Simba Chan At the Pacific Seabird Group banquet held at the Birch Aquarium, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, California, 17 February 2023, a Special Achievement Award was presented to three persons who contributed to the recovery of the critically endangered Chinese Crested Tern: Dr Shuihua Chen of the Zhejiang Museum, Prof. Hsiao-wei Yuan of the National University of Taiwan, and Simba Chan of the Japan Bird Research Association/Wild Bird Society of Japan. This is the third time the Pacific Seabird Group presented a Special Achievement Award to Asian seabird researchers. Previous awardees were Prof Hiroshi Hasegawa of Toho University (2001) and Prof Yutaka Watanuki of Hokkaido University (2009). Special Achievement Award presented to Mr. Simba Chan (left), Prof. Hsiao-wei Yuan (middle) and Dr Shuihua Chen (right) at the Pacific Seabird Group meeting © Simba Chan The works of the three awardees were linked to the compilation of the International Single Species Action Plan for the Conservation of the Chinese Crested Tern (Sterna bernsteini) under the Convention of Migratory Species (CMS). After the publication of “Threatened Birds of Asia: The BirdLife International Red Data Book” in 2001, BirdLife International and the CMS have chosen three species for follow-up conservation actions: Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Black-faced Spoonbill and Chinese Crested Tern. These action plans were launched at the 4th Meeting of Partners of EAAFP (MOP4) held in Incheon, Ro Korea, and the International Black-faced Spoonbill Workshop in Fukuoka, Japan, in early 2010 respectively. Simba Chan was the editor-in-chief of the Chinese Crested Tern Action Plan. When he started to work on the action plan in 2005 he contacted Shuihua Chen, who discovered the second breeding ground of Chinese Crested Tern at Jiushan Islands in Zhejiang Province in China in 2004, and Hsiao-wei Yuan who was a tern expert recommended by Dr Lucia Liu Severinghaus of Academia Sinica in Taiwan, who identified the Chinese Crested Tern from photos taken by wildlife documentarist Chieh-te Liang from Matsu in 2000. The trio met at Zhejiang Museum of Natural History in Hangzhou on May 2006 and that should be the start of the Chinese Crested Tern saga. Meeting on the Chinese Crested Tern Action Plan in Hangzhou on 22 May 2006. © Simba Chan In the 2000s the biggest threat known to Chinese Crested Terns was illegal egg collection. The BirdLife/Hong Kong Bird Watching Society China Programme worked with bird conservation organizations in Zhejiang and Fujian on promotion of local awareness in seabird conservation. For this purpose an international seabird symposium was convened in Xiangshan in July 2010. Prof Daniel Roby of Oregan State University was invited and he made a presentation on social attraction project of Caspian Tern in northwest USA. The talk initiated the interest of breeding site restoration and workshops on the feasibility of using social attraction at Jiushan Islands in Zhejiang Province of China were held in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The first attempt of social attraction in 2013 was a late success (no terns were attracted to the site until the playback system was fixed in mid-July, then terns started to breed despite it was very late in the season) and monitoring on the island in 2014 and 2015 confirmed the method worked. Since then, Jiushan became the main breeding site of the Chinese Crested Tern and 20 or more chicks fledged every year (expect 2016). The global population of Chinese Crested Tern in 2013 was less than 50 birds. In 2023 its number increased to around 200 birds. Chan, Chen, Yuan on Tiedun Dao for restoration of the Chinese Crested Tern colony at Jiusha Islan, Zhejiang, China on 17 July 2015. © Simba Chan This is not the end of the story, in late 2022, Simba Chan and Yat-tung Yu, Director of the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, convened a virtual workshop for Korean and Chinese researchers on planning of restoration of breeding sites of Chinese Crested Terns in Korea and northern China (especially in the vicinity of Qingdao, where the last colony was recorded in 1937). Chan and Yu have also been working with colleagues from Indonesia and the USA on researching and protecting Chinese Crested Tern wintering sites in eastern Indonesia. We hope more people can support us and join the team. The success of the Chinese Crested Tern conservation was a result of team work, the three awardees are representing those who work hard in the field in mainland China, Taiwan and other countries. The secret of the success was a combination of good planning (the action plan and beyond), a good and dedicated team, and the spirit of international cooperation. Recently the EAAFP Black-faced Spoonbill Working Group worked with the IUCN Stork, Spoonbill, and Ibis Specialist Group on a paper (link) on the success of conservation of the once (prior to 2000) critically endangered Black-faced Spoonbill. The essence of success was the same as we listed above. And we believe this is also a lesson to learn for many other migratory species and species groups in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Read also: How Plastic Birds Are Bringing Crested Terns Back From the Brink (published on 2015, available at link)
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Updates of HPAI recorded in East Asian – Australasian Flyway
Since November 2021, a series of unprecedent outbreaks of HPAI (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) occurred in western Eurasia and depleted significant percentages of waterbirds and seabird populations: Barnacle Goose in Scotland, Eurasian Crane in Israel, Dalmatian Pelican in southeastern Balkans and seabirds along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. However, no significant incidents were reported from the East Asian-Australasian Flyway except die-offs of several hundred seabirds, such as Tufted Puffins and Rhinoceros Auklets, recorded around the waters of Kunashir Islands in southern Kuril in August 2022, which no official evidence of an HPAI outbreak was indicated by the time of writing. Yet, outbreaks of HPAI was recorded in cranes and other migratory waterbirds in the EAA Flyway in recent two months. Hooded Cranes in Suncheon Bay © Suncheon City On 1 November 2022, a Hooded Crane was found dead at Izumi, Japan and about one week later it was confirmed to be HPAI positive. Numbers of dead birds escalated since, reaching a daily peak of 74 dead Hooded Cranes collected on 17 November. Dead White-naped Cranes were recorded starting on 14 November. The number of daily totals of dead cranes decreased to less than 15 carcasses found from 8 December. As of 23 December 2022, the total number of carcasses of Hooded Cranes collected at Izumi were at least 1,097 and White-naped Crane at least 47. Three Hooded Crane carcasses testing positive of HPAI were collected from Kyushu: 2 from Isahaya and 1 from Akune (Information from the website of Ministry of the Environment Japan, link). Movements of cranes departing from Izumi, Japan were observed from late November. At the same time, there was a surge in the number of Hooded Cranes wintering at Suncheon, Ro Korea. It was speculated some cranes moved from Izumi to wintering sites in Ro Korea. This was proven by Hooded Cranes tracked by Dr Li Xianda in China (from Izumi, Japan to Chonsu Bay, Ro Korea in late November 2022). However, such movement is not irregular as Dr Li’s tagged Hooded Cranes were also recorded travelling between wintering sites in Japan and Ro Korea in 2020 and 2021 (Per. comm. from Li Xianda to Simba Chan). The number of Hooded Cranes at Suncheon reached a peak of several thousand birds in late November but started to decrease to about 3,500 birds in early December. It is believed cranes moved to Chonsu Bay and Galsa Bay, other wintering sites of Hooded Cranes in Ro Korea. The first dead Hooded Crane was found at Suncheon on 13 November. As of 12 December, 158 dead Hooded Cranes and one dead White-naped Crane were found in Ro Korea. On 20 November one sick Red-crowned Crane was captured in Kushiro, Japan and it was tested HPAI positive one week later. However, this should be seen as an independent case of HPAI from the wintering grounds in western Japan. In response to the HPAI outbreak, the Crane Working Group of the EAAFP held an emergency zoom meeting on 12 December and a proposal for reactions to the HPAI in the EAAF region was submitted to the EAAFP Secretariat. The Crane Working Group also sent warnings to other crane wintering sites. So far no abnormal crane deaths has been reported from China and the wintering sites were advised not to artificially feed cranes to avoid concentrations of cranes and other wintering birds. The Crane Working Group has also contacted crane researchers in Israel on possible links between the present incident and the HPAI outbreak at Hula Valley in December 2021, in which about 8,000 Eurasian Cranes died. Advice from Israeli colleagues was to remove crane carcasses especially those in water as quickly as possible and also avoid artificial feeding that would result in concentration of birds. In late November to early December, 34 dead Oriental Storks were found near Tianjin, at the coast of Bohai, China. Poisoning from poachers and HPAI have been ruled out and the cause of death is still under investigation. On 24 November and 12 December, dead Black-faced Spoonbills were found at Mai Po Nature Reserve and Hong Kong Wetland Park in Hong Kong S.A.R. respectively, were confirmed to be HPAI positive. On 9 December another dead Black-faced Spoonbill collected at Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan was also found to be HPAI positive. It is speculated more birds may have died during migration but were not found or reported. At the time when this news release was written, catastrophic HPAI outbreaks are occurring in Latin America, particularly along the coast of Peru where more than 20,000 dead seabirds (majority Peruvian Pelicans) recorded. The massive outbreaks of HPAI that started in western Eurasia in late 2021 are now being recorded in the East Asian Australasian Flyway. The Crane Working Group contacted other species working groups and task forces and almost all agreed on actions that should be taken as soon as possible. While we proposed strategies to be discussed at meetings in 2023, we also urge managers and local stakeholders at important waterbird/seabird sites to take precautions as suggested below, and countries along the flyway should keep in close communication on new cases of outbreaks. Recommendation to important waterbird/seabird sites: Have at least one staff member in charge of biosecurity. Have a contingency plan following the guidance of national authorities in case of outbreak of avian influenza and other avian diseases. Ideally the plan will be rehearsed every year before migratory seasons so staff and volunteers of the site understand all procedures and their roles in case of emergency. Have a contact list of agencies and institutions that can provide support during an outbreak. Have regular monitoring and surveillance on wild birds, particularly when outbreaks are reported along the flyway. In case sick and/or dead birds are found, try to collect them without causing disturbance to other birds. Although the risk of HPAI transmitting to human is low, personal protective equipment has to be used when handling sick or dead birds and the methods of collection and handling should follow national guidelines. Photographing the dead bird for records and to identify the species and gender. Useful references: 2007. Wild Birds and Avian Influenza: an introduction to applied field research and disease sampling techniques. Edited by D. Whitworth, S.H. Newman, T. Mundkur and P. Harris. FAO Animal Production and Health Manual, No. 5. Rome. (download from here) CMS Scientific Task Force on Avian Influenza and Wild Birds Issues Recommendations (2022) (visit the webpage here). Hacen Mohamed El-Hacen. 2022. Workshop report: Development and consequences of the recent bird flu outbreak among Sandwich terns in the Wadden Sea and adjacent areas (download from here) Scientific Task Force on Avian Influenza and Wild Birds statement on: H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in poultry and wild birds: Winter of 2021/2022 with focus on mass mortality of wild birds in UK and Israel (2022) (download from here) Wildlife Health Australia (2021) The sixth issue Wild Bird News June 2021 - National Avian Influenza Wild Bird Surveillance Newsletter (download from here) More references and useful links are available on webpage of Avian Influenza Working Group (link), News links: Ministry of the Environment, Japan: 高病原性鳥インフルエンザに関する情報 | 自然環境・生物多様性 | 環境省 (env.go.jp) News about dead seabirds washed to Kunashir Islands in southern Kuril (available on 12 August, 2022, visit the webpage here) Article prepared by Crane Working Group.
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Webinar on Chinese Crested Tern in the Yellow Sea and Seabird Conservation in China
Listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN’s Red List, the Chinese Crested Tern’s global…
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Not just funding but also capacity-building opportunities! Asian Waterbird Conservation Fund (AWCF) is now receiving new applications!
The AWCF was established by WWF-Hong Kong in July 2005 to provide financial support for projects at sites of importance for migratory…
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Introducing the Youth Think Tank Competition Project Teams
The year-long journey for our 5 Youth Think Tank Competition finalist teams has finally come to a close. Although there were challenges, like the COVID pandemic, each team has successfully implemented their project between January and October 2022. Let’s learn more about what each project team has accomplished and would like to share! 1. Grand Final Winner: Team “Dining wetland for birds and people” Dining wetland for birds and people Team ©️ Dining wetland for birds and people “Through interviews with local people we learned about the challenges farmers are facing in balancing the demands of food production and birds in paddy fields. To raise awareness of the issues, gather opinions and ideas and promote the importance of biodiversity, we reached out to the local community and citizens more broadly, especially young people across the country, through online seminars, a photographic competition, and popular science articles. Our motto was: "know more, care more and act more.” - Dining Wetlands for Humans and Birds Team Share the video: link Project location: Nanqiao County, Fengxian district, Shanghai, China Team members: Shuyu Hou, Luyao Chen, Yuhan Li, Xinchen Bu, Yin Zhang Project Summary: Birds, our flying neighbours, are liked and inspire curiosity among citizens. However, they can also cause problems, especially in farmland communities. This project focused on a modern farm site in Nanqiao county, located in the suburbs of the mega-city, Shanghai, where the study site is typical of urban agricultural communities - affection for their flying neighbours but also worry about the damage they cause to crops. Objectives Collect baseline data about biodiversity and community perspectives Build capacity for the Nanqiao community and the broader public about knowledge of birds and their importance Increase awareness and motivate action for bird conservation What had been delivered: Four baseline ecological surveys, using a mixture of camera traps and transects. These surveys recorded 61 bird species and 3 mammals species, filling the data gap and laying the foundation for conservation actions. Two in-person meetings with the local stakeholders to understand the local situation, build a common understanding and agree to collaborate. Received 102 completed questionnaires from the citizens, with 40% from local community. Hosted a "birds in cropland" theme photo contest, attracting 300 votes and reaching a readership of over 1,000 by two articles. Designed and produced stickers, postcards and shopping bags of local bird species of Shanghai, to increase awareness of bird conservation. Published six popular science articles on social media to promote bird knowledge, reaching 2,200 readers. Hosted one online webinar, featuring two keynote speakers from this team and local partners, reaching 800 people. The post-event survey showed that the webinar significantly increased the audience's knowledge of birds PPT Presentation: link Read the report: link Flickr Gallery: Coming Soon! 2. Team “Project Lupad" Project Lupad Team ©️ Project Lupad “The youth is the hope of our nation and the present generation. Let us all remember this quote from Baba Dioum "In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we are taught." Together let us teach and share our love for migratory birds and wetlands so that many people will understand and conserve the things that we love.” - Project LUPAD Team Share the video: Coming soon! Project location: Buayan, General Santos City, the Philippines Team members: Kyle V. Aboy, Melanie P. Genita, Loyd Joredell H. Curit, Roana Mae C. Caguliodo Project Summary: Project Lupad was created because of the need to promote awareness about migratory birds at Barangay Buayan in General Santos City. The overall goal of the project is to narrow the knowledge gap on migratory birds by engaging the youth in communication, education, and public awareness (CEPA) campaigns for migratory birds. The project had three phases: head, hands, and heart. The specific aims of the project are as follows: 1. enhance the youth's knowledge of migratory birds and their ecology through online lectures; 2. develop the youth's skills in making and communicating advocacy or campaign materials for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats; and 3. raise community awareness about the local issues confronting various wetlands in General Santos City. We started the Head phase by engaging the youth in an online course about migratory birds which ran for one month; this was done via Google Classroom where we posted learning modules and assessed the participant’s learning and via Zoom where we invited speakers to further discuss the topics in the learning modules. The second phase is Hands, where the youth have undergone skills workshops to support migratory bird education and advocacy campaigns. The third phase is Heart, the community engagement caravan where the newly trained youth ambassadors for migratory birds produced their own CEPA materials for the public and the local Buayan community to see. These CEPA materials include infographics, digital arts, PowerPoint presentations, and flash cards which were published physically and digitally and translated into English, Filipino, and Bisaya. 79 participants joined phase 1 of the activities. For phase 3 approximately 200 people visited the exhibit and an additional 150 houses were visited during the house-to-house campaign via a community engagement caravan. PPT Presentation: link Read the report: link Flickr Gallery: Coming soon! 3. Team “Seabirds of Tubbataha” Seabirds of Tubbataha Team ©️ Seabirds of Tubbataha "The Youth Think Tank Competition for Flyway taught us how to create and execute a project from scratch - learned in theory through training courses and practical applications through our project implementation. The Seabirds of Tubbataha project has inspired us to value and better understand seabirds. Along the way, we had the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from individuals who share our interests, including this competition’s organizers, seabird experts, site managers, and our mentor, Micha. It has been a challenging yet enriching experience!" - “Seabirds of Tubbataha” Team Share the video: link Project location: Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park and World Heritage Site, the Philippines Team members: Gerlie T. Gedoria, Anthea Kristha C. Valenzuela, Ira Patricia Alitagtag Project Summary: Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP) is the largest no-take marine protected area in the Philippines. It is both an ASEAN Heritage Park and a World Heritage Site. TRNP also became an EAAFP Flyway Network Site in 2015. The two islets of TRNP support over 20,000 seabirds and serve as important nesting and rookery grounds for seven different seabird species, four of which are migratory. Seabirds are highly pelagic, spending most of their time at sea. Their limited interaction with humans due to their isolation may be one reason they are not popular subjects of environmental education activities in the Philippines. Through this project, we designed and implemented a webinar on seabirds and produced a video focusing on the plight of the Black Noddy worcesteri subspecies that was premiered during the webinar. The project aimed to increase awareness amongst Filipinos about seabirds, their importance, and the threats they face, a hundred people at a time. We aimed to highlight the conservation needs of the Black Noddy, which is threatened by loss of nesting habitat, and of Tubbataha generally as a vital seabird breeding ground in Southeast Asia. Through dissemination of the film at the webinar and beyond, we hope to inspire early career and future conservationists to espouse seabird conservation and glean recommendations for improving our management efforts. More than 100 participants joined the various activities. PPT Presentation: link Read the report: link Flickr Gallery: Coming soon! 4. Team “Environmental Education in Dongting Lake” Environmental Education in Dongting Lake Team ©️ Environmental Education in Dongting Lake “On the basis of comprehensive investigation and mastering the natural education resources of Dongting Lake, we used the Project-based Learning (PBL) teaching method to develop a natural education curriculum with the theme of wetlands and birds – I am an ornithologist. The course is divided into two parts: indoor bird class and campus nature game, including five links: wetland discovery, understanding waterfowl, wetland and waterfowl, wading beak competition, migration of migratory birds and nature notes. At the same time, supporting textbooks, teaching aids and course effect evaluation forms are designed. Subsequently, the team organized four environmental education activities in Matang Central Primary School and Mingde Primary School in Yueyang County, with a total of 120 students participating. The children showed great interest in the activity. The interaction between teachers and students in the indoor classroom was continuous, the atmosphere was warm, and the natural games were intense and wonderful. A seed of caring for wetlands and birds has been successfully sown in children's young minds. As children grow up, this seed will take root and sprout, guiding them to approach, love and protect nature and Dongting Lake.” - Edu. in Dongting Lake Team Share the video: link Project location: East Dongting Lake National Reserve, Yueyang City, Hunan Province, China Team members: Xianglong Tang, Wenzhi Xiao, Yu Zhang, Shuangxi Yang Project Summary: Based on a comprehensive survey of Dongting Lake's environmental education resources, we developed and designed the Dongting Lake localization curriculum with wetland cognition, bird cognition and protection as the main contents by using Project-based Learning (PBL) teaching method, a new method of environmental education, and combining the characteristics of wetland and bird-based environmental education resources in Dongting Lake area. We have designed the supporting textbook "Dongting Lake Nature Education Knowledge Manual" and the knowledge folding book "Dongting Home Nature Sharing" to assist the development and implementation of the course. We developed an evaluation system of environmental education curriculum effect, which includes environmental knowledge, environmental attitude and environmental behaviour measurement, and scientifically and reasonably evaluated the effect of activities. We contacted two primary schools in the nature reserve to organize environmental education activities, which included indoor bird classes and outdoor games. During the activity, students are generally interested in the curriculum. No matter whether it is indoor classroom or campus activities, children show great interest, which successfully inspires their love for birds, wetlands and nature, leaving unforgettable memories for children and achieving good teaching results. A total of 120 students joined the activities. PPT Presentation: link Read the report: link Flickr Gallery: Coming soon! 5. Team “Rediscover Kei Island Waterbirds” Rediscover Kei Island Waterbirds Team ©️ Rediscover Kei Island Waterbirds "We are thankful for the opportunity and support from EAAFP throughout the project. We learn to manage our budget wisely because our research site is remote. One of our team members got to learn from the start to do birdwatching and for her it was a very nice experience. Through this project we got to meet people from different backgrounds, and we also learned and gained insight from them to tackle challenges in the field. We hope to do more activities at Kai Islands in the future." - Rediscover Kei Island Team Share the video: link Project location: Kei Islands, Southeast Maluku, Indonesia Team members: Gloria Pratidhwani Manggalagita, Dhia Shofi Salsabilah, Ida Nur Rahmawati Project Summary: The Kei Islands in Indonesia are a vital point for monitoring the East Asia Australia Flyway Network. Unfortunately, bird migration monitoring and observation in the Kei Islands is rarely carried due to its remote location in the waters of the Banda Sea, Indonesia. The last research about bird biodiversity conducted in Kei Island was in 1994. Now Kei Island become new emerging tourist spot in eastern Indonesia. Migratory bird is commonly seen in the Kei Islands and this phenomenon also attracts tourists. This project has conducted waterbirds monitoring in two islands, namely Kei Kecil Island and Mangur Island to update monitoring and lists of Kei Islands birds using line transect methods by walking and by boat or ferry. Upon 22 days of observation (29 March 2022- 19 April 2022), only 20 waterbirds species and 17 land bird species found. Targeted species, Far Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis) and Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris). Total of 35 Far Eastern Curlews spotted in Ohoidertawun Beach and Ngurtavur Beach, but no Great Knot was observed. Bird watching has been introduced to residents by doing birdwatching session with children in Mangur and discussion session with total 20 person reached. From fourteen observation sites there are two important habitat that need to be manage sustainably which are Ohoidertawun Beach and Ngurtavur Beach. Both of the sites are favorite tourism spots in Kei Islands, hence the threat of habitat loss and anthropogenic disturbance are higher. Discussion with three tourism actors have been conducted three times and but no code of conduct of eco-friendly & migratory bird-friendly has been drafted yet. PPT Presentation: link Read the report: link Flickr Gallery: Coming soon! For more about the Youth Think Tank Competition for the EAA Flyway click here. The Closing Ceremony was held on 22 October, 2022, click here to learn more.
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Chinese Crested Tern banded in Republic of Korea sighted in China
The connection between RoK-breeding Critically Endangered Chinese Crested Tern and…
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“Black-faced Spoonbills Connecting Children to the Future of Wetlands Project” by Team SPOON
Team SPOON, a youth group to protect the Endangered Black-faced Spoonbill and create a peaceful society by…
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New Publication “ China Wetland Centers Manual for Planning and Practice” by Mangrove Foundation
By 2021, China has 64 wetlands of International Importance, 20 Flyway Network Sites, 602 Wetland Nature Reserves, 899…
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