An endangered Siberian crane which got lost and accidentally migrated to a northern Taiwan wetland in December 2014 was seen on a riverbank in northern Taiwan yesterday, birdwatchers said.
Taiwan Ecological Engineering Development Foundation deputy executive director Chiu Ming-yuan (邱銘源) said the crane was seen with three oriental white storks in New Taipei City’s Jinshan District (金山), where it has made its home.
At noon on Wednesday, the crane, nicknamed “Jinshan Little White Crane,” and the three storks were seen flying together, before they soared to a height where they were not visible to the naked eye.
Photo courtesy of Chen Chih-ming
When last seen, the birds were flying in the direction of New Taipei City’s Yeliou District (野柳) on the northeastern coast.
Birdwatchers speculated that the crane might take advantage of the last southerly winds of the year and make the 9,600km journey home with the storks.
However, birdwatchers later reported that the four birds did not go out to sea, but stopped on a riverbank in a mountainous area of Keelung. The bird was identifiable because it has been fitted with a blue plastic ring around its left leg.
The three storks were then spotted along the Sijhih (汐止) section of the Keelung River (基隆河).
One netizen said that since the white crane is not shy of people and is said to have had close interactions with farmers and visitors, this could put its life in danger.
Another netizen expressed mixed feelings, saying that while he hopes the bird can return to Siberia, he also wants it to remain in Taiwan.
The crane, which is about two years old, arrived at Jinshan District’s Cingshuei Wetlands (清水濕地) on Dec. 13, 2014.
During its more than 500 days in Jinshan, the crane has shown a particular affinity for the rice paddies of farmer Huang Cheng-chun (黃正俊), who was prompted to change his cultivation methods and stop using pesticides.
The arrival of the bird — a species that is in danger of extinction — immediately drew attention, as it was the first time that a Siberian crane had been seen in Taiwan.
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