The New Taipei City Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office has called on birdwatchers visiting the city’s Bali (八里), Wanli (萬里) and Jinshan (金山) districts to avoid feeding or scaring migratory birds resting in the area.
The districts are popular with birdwatchers wanting to see black-faced spoonbills, Eurasian spoonbills and other migratory birds who rest there before heading south when the weather improves, the office said, adding that the Lunar New Year holiday is an especially good time to see the birds.
The number of visitors to Jinshan District hoping to photograph the birds has been on the rise due to social media posts showing the large number of migratory birds in the area, the office said.
However, birdwatchers should exercise caution to avoid disturbing the birds, and risk a fine of between NT$60,000 and NT$300,000 and a prison sentence of up to one year, the office said, citing Article 18 of the Wildlife Conservation Act (野生動物保育法).
The office said it has been sending personnel to the district to post signs warning the public to keep a distance from and avoid disturbing wildlife.
The black-faced spoonbill is on the brink of extinction, the office said, adding that the birds are largely found in North Korea and northern China most of the year, flying south for the winter.
In Taiwan, they spend most of the winter in Tainan’s Cigu Township (七股), it said.
A year ago, six black-faced spoonbills and one Eurasian spoonbill were spotted in Jinshan, and 15 black-faced spoonbills were seen in Bali District at the end of May, the office said.
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