Bird experts celebrate 1,500 cormorants overwintering in greater Taipei
Bird experts celebrate 1,500 cormorants overwintering in greater Taipei
2022-12-20
Ornithologists are celebrating large flocks of cormorants in Taiwan this winter. The cormorant is one of the best hunters of the bird world. This year there are more than 1,500 in Taiwan. Experts say they are a great boon for the ecosystem, hunting invasive fish species, and contributing to river ecology. They can be seen giving beautiful aerial shows in greater Taipei from October through February.
Hundreds of cormorants flock across the sky – a magnificent sight. They’ve gathered to hunt on the river. Bird lovers watch them wheeling in the air or doing “the caterpillar tracks.”
When they succeed in catching a tilapia fish, they gulp it down in one mouthful, leaving nothing to spare. Upwards of 1,500 cormorants are here at Changhou Bridge in Taipei’s Songshan District for the winter.
Shen Chin-feng
Keelung City Wild Bird Association
Other birds in the heron family are amazed when they see cormorants hunting. So they wait at the side for the fish that have been chased up by the cormorants, the little fish, to jump out of the water. Then they can enjoy some of the spoils of the hunt.
When a flock of cormorants takes to the air, they often stay close to the surface of the water, paddling their legs and kicking up a white wave. But they’re masterful underwater hunters. Experts think they overwinter in Taiwan because of the habitats available. Plus, the tilapia in Keelung River are their favorite.
Shen Chin-feng
Keelung City Wild Bird Association
The cormorants can eliminate 400,000 invasive tilapia for us in one year. And that also tells us something: we have had some results in our efforts to improve water quality in Keelung River and Tamsui River in the last few years.
Cormorants can be seen in large numbers in Taiwan from October to February. They come here to enjoy a good winter, and at the same time help to rebalance the ecosystem and to restore the health of our rivers.
1500隻"鸕鶿"來台過冬可吃下40萬尾吳郭魚
2022-12-20
每年都會來台過冬的捕魚高手「鸕鶿」大軍又來了，今年數量增加，超過1500隻，有不少愛鳥人士，拍下牠們在基隆河邊，三兩下就捕獲到吳郭魚的畫面，敏捷的動作，華麗又壯觀，有專家表示，估計鸕鶿來台的五個月，能吃下至少40萬尾吳郭魚，這代表台灣在水質、環境保育方面，比以往大幅改善。
上百隻的鸕鶿，在水上盤旋，場面相當壯觀，牠們齊聚一堂，在水中覓食，圍旋式、履帶式的飛行，讓民眾大為驚奇。
精準捕捉吳郭魚，大口吞下，毫不失手，這是在台北市松山長壽橋下，這群捕魚大師，今年來台灣過冬，估計超過1500隻。
[[基隆市野鳥協會 沈錦豐]]
“其他的鷺科鳥類在旁邊看鸕鶿進食的牠們都傻眼了，所以牠們常常會在旁邊等，等被牠們鸕鶿追趕的魚，有小魚跳起來，(其他鳥類)可以分一杯羹”
鸕鶿成群結隊的起飛時，緊緊貼著水面，雙腳踩踏瞬間，激起白色浪花，牠們可是潛泳捕魚高手，專家研判牠們選擇來台灣，與度冬棲地環境有關，加上基隆河的吳郭魚，是鸕鶿們的最愛。
[[基隆市野鳥協會 沈錦豐]]
“ (鸕鶿)可以幫我們移除1年，可以幫我們移除40萬尾外來種吳郭魚也說明了一件事情，這幾年在基隆河、淡水河域的水質改善，事實上是有一定績效”
每年的10月到隔年2月，都可見到鸕鶿大軍來台身影，不僅是來台灣過冬，也幫河水做了改善。
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