Sun, Jun 20, 2021 page9

• Family of protected collared scops owls discovered in Nantou: Adorable infant owl steals the show 奧萬大喜見「領角鶚」家族 呆萌模樣超療癒

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  Aowanda National Forest Recreation Area in Nantou County’s Renai Township has temporarily closed its doors to visitors to conform with the government’s nationwide level 3 COVID-19 alert. With nesting season currently underway, a family of collared scops owls — a protected species in Taiwan — has taken up residence in one of the park’s Taiwan incense cedar trees.

  Although the recreation area is temporarily closed to the public, the epidemic prevention measures have not stopped its birds and bees from procreating. The months of May and June are nesting season, and things really come to life after dark. Within the recreation area it is possible to observe owls brooding, hear chicks chirping and see adult owls shuttling to and fro from their nests with morsels of food to help their little darlings grow up quickly.

  Workers from the recreation area and research specialists from the Endemic Species Research Institute in the county’s Jiji Township were checking breeding boxes when they discovered a family of protected collared scops owls resting in a Taiwan incense cedar tree. The team believes there are at least four collared scops owls nesting in the tree. They have spotted them resting side-by-side in pairs or perching independently. The owls all had their heads tucked down and their eyes closed, sound asleep.

  

  An infant collared scops owl inclines its head while perching on the branch of a Taiwan incense cedar tree in Nantou County’s Aowanda National Forest Recreation Area. 一雙小領角鶚棲息於一棵台灣肖楠樹上，水汪汪、圓滾滾的大眼睛，歪著頭，照片攝於南投縣奧萬大森林遊樂區。

  Photo courtesy of Aowanda National Forest Recreation Area 照片：奧萬大森林遊樂區提供

  The team quickly grabbed the opportunity to photograph the charming scene, taking as many photos as possible of the owls. While the photographers were snapping away, one fledging owl discreetly opened its big, bright eyes and inclined its head to peek at the people below, which was captured on film to produce a surprisingly soporific photograph of the owlet’s adorably goofy expression.

  (Liberty Times, translated by Edward Jones)

  南投縣仁愛鄉奧萬大森林遊樂區因配合防疫三級警戒而休園，正值鳥類育雛期，園區的台灣肖楠樹上則有保育鳥類「領角鶚」家族現蹤。

  

  A pair of sleeping collared scops owls perch together on the branch of a Taiwan incense cedar tree in Nantou County’s Aowanda National Forest Recreation Area in an undated photograph. 一對領角鶚兩兩相依，於南投縣奧萬大森林遊樂區低頭閉眼睡得香甜，照片日期不詳。

  Photo courtesy of Aowanda National Forest Recreation Area 照片：奧萬大森林遊樂區提供

  奧萬大森林遊樂區因防疫而休園，生物的繁衍並不因此停歇，五、六月是鳥類育雛的季節，此時入夜時分，園區也能適時觀察到貓頭鷹的育雛畫面，幼鳥會發出「企、企、企」的叫聲，親鳥則會不停來回餵食，希望鳥寶寶快快長大。

  園區工作人員與集集特有生物研究保育中心研究人員，日前在調查園區鳥巢箱的繁殖狀況時，就在台灣肖楠樹上發現正在休息的保育鳥類領角鶚家族，樹上至少有四隻領角鶚，有的兩兩相依，或是各據枝頭，每隻都是縮頭、閉眼，睡得香甜。

  樹下的人們則是抓緊時機，拿起相機對著可愛的領角鶚家族猛拍，領角鶚幼鳥還會謹慎的睜眼查看，一雙水汪汪、圓滾滾的大眼睛，歪著頭看著樹下的人，呆萌的模樣讓人看了超療癒。

  (自由時報佟振國)

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