TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Hualien branch of the Forest and Nature Conservation Agency (HFNCA) has confirmed that a flock of little terns - migratory birds and protected species - is nesting at the mouth of Liwu River in Hualien County.
The HFNCA last week urged the public to help preserve the sandbars at the mouth of the river as they are a crucial breeding ground for little terns, per a press release. The terns are expected to fly south in August.
The agency said visitors should avoid driving on the sandbars to prevent crushing little tern eggs and chicks. Also, they should not take eggs from the nests.
The HFNCA has sent out additional forest rangers to patrol the beach and has also put up surveillance cameras to protect the rare birds.
Little terns have yellow beaks with black tips. Light gray feathers cover their chests, and their backs are dark gray.
Black feathers top their heads, with two black streaks extending through both eyes to their beaks. This shapes the unique patch of v-shaped white feathers on their foreheads.
Wild Bird Society of Hualien (WBSH) President He Jui-yang (何瑞暘) explained that little terns nest on sandbars, building their nests with materials like leaves underneath to maintain moisture. They spend four months breeding and raising their young in Taiwan from April before migrating to the Southern Hemisphere for winter.
Field studies on little terns in the Liwu River area used to be lacking. In response, in 2021, the HFNCA and WBSH conducted studies on the little terns' breeding habits.
They believe the mouth of the Liwu River is a major breeding ground for little terns in northern Hualien. The abundance of fish and the stability of the sandbars make that part of the Liwu River ideal.
WBSH volunteers have monitored the little tern nests, marking them with red flags. They also observed people driving onto the sandbars and affecting the little terns.
Similar incidents occurred last year, prompting Hualien County government to place signs asking the public not to disturb the birds near both the Liwu River and Hualien rivers.
