Internationally Protected Island Gaegaevi Species Also Inhabiting Specific Islands in Sinan-gun
Sinan-gun has confirmed the successful breeding of hawks, which are rarely observed in Korea, on Odo, a specific island near Jaeun-myeon. (Photo by Sinan-gun)
[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Ki-woon] Jeonnam Sinan-gun (Governor Park Woo-ryang) announced on the 5th that a rare successful breeding of hawks, rarely observed in Korea, was confirmed on Odo, a specific island near Jaeun-myeon.
Known as an apex predator, hawks are rare resident birds that mainly breed on coastal or island cliffs. They are called masters of hunting due to their excellent flying ability, catching prey mid-air.
During the breeding season, the male hunts while the female raises the young and protects the nest. They lay 3 to 4 eggs in late March, with an incubation period of 28 to 29 days.
Sinan-gun, while conducting monitoring to grasp the status of migratory birds on uninhabited islands and mudflats, which are specific islands and migratory bird habitats in the area, confirmed the breeding of hawks, a protected species designated as a first-class endangered wild animal and Natural Monument No. 323, on Odo, 7 km away from Sinan Jaeun-myeon.
It is estimated that the hawks nested on the inaccessible northern coastal cliffs, and three fledglings just before leaving the nest, along with an adult pair, were observed.
Besides hawks, the presence of six species was confirmed, including the internationally protected and vulnerable species listed on the IUCN Red List, the second-class endangered wild animal Seomgaegaebi, Natural Monument No. 327 mandarin ducks, kingfishers, bluebirds, and brown-eared bulbuls.
Odo is managed as a specific island under the Special Act on the Conservation of Ecosystems in Island Areas.
Many islands in Sinan adjacent to mudflats serve as breeding grounds for various migratory birds such as the black-headed gull, white wagtail, and little tern, and shorebirds visiting the mudflats also use them as important resting sites.
In particular, the Sinan mudflats have high species diversity, excellent conservation value, and ecological excellence, and are on the verge of being registered as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site.
A Sinan-gun official said, “The successful breeding of hawks, an apex predator, means that the habitat is stable and the surrounding biodiversity is high,” adding, “We will continue to strive to manage bird habitats on specific islands in the area, discover biological resources, and do our best for Sinan’s registration as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site.”
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