After years of conservation efforts, black-winged stilts, a type of long-legged water bird that is found in many places around the globe including southern Taiwan, are beginning to proliferate in the Guandu Nature Park in Taipei County, park authorities said yesterday.
“At least nine pairs of black-winged stilts have reproduced in the park, which undoubtedly is an indicator of the improvement of the wetland habitat there,” said Sam Lin (林益在), section chief of the park’s communications department.
The Guandu Nature Park administers the 7-hectare Guandu wetlands.
Aside from the baby stilts that have already hatched, Lin said the birds laid an additional dozen eggs in the park.
If all the eggs hatch successfully, the black-winged stilts will have a mature group in the park, meaning they may become a common resident in the wetland, he said.
Black-winged stilts feature long, thin black bills; long, thin pinkish-red legs, as well as black backs and wings on their otherwise white bodies, Lin said.
The graceful birds, which typically measure 33cm to 35cm long after they mature, have been nicknamed “beautiful girls with pink stockings” by local birdwatchers, he said.
Lin said that he chose to share the news with the public yesterday to celebrate Mothers’ Day because this is the reproductive season for many migrant birds.
Other types of birds such as magpies, black drongoes, common moorhens and white-breasted water hens are also beginning to nest and breed on the Guandu wetlands.
“When people are enjoying the holiday, we hope that they will also come to witness the joy of life in the park,” he said.
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