The number of jacanas recorded in Tainan last month was 1,024, the first time the count has exceeded 1,000 during summer, showing the city’s increased biodiversity, the Pheasant-tailed Jacana Habitat Education Park said on Saturday.
A one-week survey was conducted last month by the park, the Wild Bird Society of Tainan, and students from nature clubs at National Cheng Kung University and National University of Tainan.
A total of 1,024 adult jacanas were documented, of which 77 percent were spotted in Guantian District (官田), 10 percent in Siaying District (下營) and 5 percent in Madou District (麻豆), park director Lee Wen-chen (李文珍) said.
Photo: Yang Chin-cheng, Taipei Times
The birds are counted from April to September, when they stick to breeding areas, Lee said, adding that 942 jacanas were reported in the corresponding count last year.
To understand changes to the population, they also survey the birds in winter, with 1,292 jacanas reported last year, she said.
Experts also monitor the species’ number nationwide, with surveys starting in the middle of July and lasting for a month, she said.
Guantian is home to a wide range of birds, including black-winged stilts, little-ringed plovers and painted snipes, as the district has a good ecology, with wetlands and farmland for rice and water chestnuts, she said.
The park has been promoting farming methods that are more environmentally friendly, which has helped increase the area’s biodiversity, Lee said.
She called on people to choose agricultural products with conservation labels to help farmers who have eco-friendly operations.
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