The Taiwan Wild Bird Federation yesterday said that it would publish the nation’s first comprehensive report on the 674 wild bird species documented in Taiwan and the threats facing them, hailing it as a milestone for the nation’s biodiversity conservation efforts.
The federation made the announcement along with the Council of Agriculture’s Endemic Species Research Institute at a news conference in Taipei, with Scott Pursner, director of the federation’s international affairs, providing simultaneous translation in English.
The State of Taiwan’s Birds 2020 report compiles long-term observation data collected by researchers, citizen scientists and birders, with the earliest data sets dating to 1972, federation secretary-general Allen Lyu (呂翊維) said.
Photo: Yang Ching-cheng, Taipei Times
A Chinese-language version of the report, which is near completion, would be released soon, along with summary reports in Chinese and English, he said, adding that future editions would be published biennially.
Of the 674 wild bird species documented in Taiwan, 52 are threatened, while the populations of 29 breeding birds and 15 migratory waterbirds are declining, Lyu said.
The report highlights threats faced by the birds, including climate change, invasive bird species, loss and degradation of wetlands, poisoning, the wild bird trade and seabird bycatch, he said.
Asked about the effects of solar panels and offshore wind farm installations on wild birds, Lyu said the report traces wetland degradation over the past two or three decades, but has not touched on energy development, which is a more recent issue.
The federation has been communicating with government agencies about mitigating the effects of energy installations on wetlands, and the results might be included in future editions, he added.
Taiwan is home to 29 endemic bird species and 55 endemic subspecies, meaning the nation’s conservation efforts are critical to their survival, institute assistant researcher Lin Da-li (林大利) said.
Particularly, the Taiwan hwamei and Formosan bulbul — both endemic species — as well as the ring-necked pheasant — an endemic subspecies — are in need of urgent conservation, Lin said.
Migratory birds that winter in Taiwan come from northern countries, so Taiwan’s data are helpful for other countries, he said.
Although Taiwan is not a member of the UN, the nation still refers to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity to publish related reports and contribute its data, Lyu said.
The federation in September renamed itself, replacing the word “Chinese” with “Taiwan” after its membership was canceled by BirdLife International due to pressure from Beijing.
Asked if the federation’s international participation was affected by the incident, Lyu said that its work was not affected much, as its contact with the international organization is limited.
While the federation might not have access to activities held by the organization, it maintains close cooperation with other member states, such as Japan, Malaysia and the UK, he said.
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
EVA Airways today confirmed the death of a flight attendant on Saturday upon their return to Taiwan and said an internal investigation has been launched, as criticism mounted over a social media post accusing the airline of failing to offer sufficient employee protections. According to the post, the flight attendant complained of feeling sick on board a flight, but was unable to take sick leave or access medical care. The crew member allegedly did not receive assistance from the chief purser, who failed to heed their requests for medical attention or call an ambulance once the flight landed, the post said. As sick
A drunk woman was sexually assaulted inside a crowded concourse of Taipei Railway Station on Thursday last week before a foreign tourist notified police, leading to calls for better education on bystander intervention and review of security infrastructure. The man, surnamed Chiu (邱), was taken into custody on charges of sexual assault, taking advantage of the woman’s condition and public indecency. Police discovered that Chiu was a fugitive with prior convictions for vehicle theft. He has been taken into custody and is to complete his unserved six-month sentence, police said. On Thursday last week, Chiu was seen wearing a white
The Taichung District Court yesterday confirmed its final ruling that the marriage between teenage heir Lai (賴) and a man surnamed Hsia (夏) was legally invalid, preventing Hsia from inheriting Lai’s NT$500 million (US$16.37 million) estate. The court confirmed that Hsia chose not to appeal the civil judgement after the court handed down its ruling in June, making the decision final. In the June ruling, the court said that Lai, 18, and Hsia, 26, showed “no mutual admiration before the marriage” and that their interactions were “distant and unfamiliar.” The judge concluded that the couple lacked the “true intention of
RSS