A black-faced spoonbill that was rehabilitated in Taiwan in January returned to the country last month by “hitching a ride” on Typhoon Krathon, which propelled it across the Taiwan Strait at speeds reaching 85kph, conservationists said.
Tainan Wild Bird Society executive director Kuo Tung-hui (郭東輝) on Sunday said the bird, given the name “N83,” was found in January with botulism-induced paralysis in a fish pond in Tainan.
After receiving treatment, N83 was fitted with a tracking device and released with several other rehabilitated spoonbills, Kuo said.
Photo courtesy of Kuo Tung-hui
N83 was then monitored via satellite by the Bird Ecology Lab at National Pingtung University of Science and Technology.
The lab’s GPS data showed N83 reached China on March 21, continued north and arrived in the spoonbills’ breeding area on the Korean Peninsula on April 10.
It flew south as winter approached, arriving on the southeast coast of China on Sept. 29.
N83 returned to Taiwan on Oct. 3 by “hitching a ride” on winds from Typhoon Krathon, the bird lab said.
Krathon initially moved west through the Bashi Channel, before turning north toward Kaohsiung.
N83 was crossing the Taiwan Strait at the time and propelled by the typhoon’s winds to speeds reaching 85kph as it made its way toward Kaohsiung, the lab said.
Local birdwatchers reported sightings of N83 in Chiayi early last month and Tainan on Oct. 30.
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