Zhejiang news client reporter Ying Lei Shi Liwei shared alliance Xiangshan station Chen Guangshu correspondent Cai Yanghua
The "Bird of Myth" Chinese crested tern reappears. "The first time I heard of such a large number of Chinese crested terns observed during the non-breeding season, they hatched and flew to various places in Xiangshan, indicating that the population is recovering well." On October 6, Ding Peng, a staff member of the Xiangshan Lishan Islands National Nature Reserve Management Bureau, excitedly told reporters that he saw news online that bird watching associations and enthusiasts had recorded 72 Chinese crested terns in Qingdao, nearly half of the global population of the species.
In flocks of birds, the Chinese crested tern has white feathers, a black beak tip, and a swallow-like forked tail, which allows it to distinguish it from the large crested tern. Last year, the Chinese crested tern was upgraded to a national first-class protected animal, which can be called a "bird giant panda". Because of its small number and mysterious whereabouts, it is known as the "bird of mythology". More than a decade ago, there were less than 50 Chinese crested terns in the world. In order to retain the "mythical birds", our province launched the Chinese crested tern breeding population attraction and restoration project. At present, at least 110 Chinese crested terns have been successfully hatched in the Xiangshan Lishan Islands National Nature Reserve, accounting for nearly 80% of the total number of breeding sites in the world, and is the world's largest incubation and breeding base for Chinese crested terns.
This year, the Leek Shan Archipelago welcomed 84 Chinese crested terns to roost and breed, and successfully hatched 22 Chinese crested tern chicks, from which they migrated south and overwintered. Today, the global population of the Chinese crested tern is nearly 150, essentially alleviating the risk of extinction.
The feathers are white and the tip of the mouth is black chinese crested tern
After several twists and turns
Look for the Chinese crested tern
Board the boat from Longdong Pier in Xiangshan County and sail for 70 minutes to reach China Tie Lantium Island in the Leek Shan Arch islands. Chinese crested terns roost and breed here in summer. As soon as you get to the island, the sound of birds fills your ears. Crossing a section of the slope to the other side of the island, you can see the Chinese crested terns mixed in with thousands of large crested terns, grouping up in groups, the scene is spectacular.
On Zhongtie Upsetting Island, the habitat and breeding of Chinese crested terns is mainly concentrated on a slope of hundreds of square meters. This area is giving birth to new Chinese crested terns every year. According to statistics, at least 110 Chinese crested terns have been bred here.
Tie Lantium Island in the Xiangshan Leek Mountain Archipelago
Just in July this year, the Xiangshan Leek Mountain Archipelago National Nature Reserve and the Zhejiang Natural History Institute organized more than 30 seabird conservation volunteers to come here and stay on the island for two days and one night to apply for "identity cards" for the new generation of 198 crested tern chicks. This ornithographic work is an important tool used in the world to study the migration dynamics and patterns of migratory birds. "Each young bird wears a metal ring on its left foot and a plastic ring on its right foot." According to the relevant person in charge of the Zhejiang Natural History Museum, the metal ring is equivalent to the "global identity card" of birds, which is more durable; while the plastic foot ring with white characters on a green background is more eye-catching, which is conducive to field observation. Since 2015, volunteers have accumulated more than 1,200 young crested tern chicks here.
Through several years of circumferential work, researchers are gradually grasping the life rules of chinese crested terns. "Now we know that chinese crested terns breed on the islands off the southeast coast of China, and the islands off the coast of Zhejiang can be said to be their homeland." But 20 years ago, the Chinese crested tern was almost a mystery, and many experts believed that the species was extinct. Ding Peng told reporters.
According to the records, in 1861, the naturalist Bernstein first discovered the Chinese crested tern. In 1937, 21 Chinese crested terns were found on Moguan Island in the waters off Qingdao. In the decades since, no trace of the Chinese crested tern has been found. The turning point came in 2000, when photographers captured chinese crested terns in the Matsu Islands. Since then, the Zhejiang Museum of Natural History has begun to search for Chinese crested terns along the coast of Zhejiang. It was not until July 2004 that the seekers found a breeding colony of 20 Chinese crested terns in the Leek Shan Archipelago in Xiangshan County. However, due to vandalism and two typhoons, this year's breeding was declared a failure, and the Chinese crested tern disappeared.
The reason why the Chinese crested tern is rare is that it is difficult to breed and the survival rate is low. Zhejiang Museum of Natural History librarian Wang Siyu analyzed that the Chinese crested tern only lays 1 egg per year, according to its life expectancy of 15 years, only more than 10 eggs are produced in a lifetime; and the incubation time is long, generally it takes 25 days to 30 days, and the two birds take turns to hatch to breed small lives; in addition, they also have natural enemies such as snakes and peregrine falcons, and the chicks may starve to death or sunburn, and will also be destroyed by typhoons. "The Chinese crested terns still have memories, and if they fail to breed in one place, they will not come to this place for several years in a row, and we can only wait for them to come back again." Ding Peng said.
To this end, Xiangshan launched a huge "protect the island and love birds" special action. According to the relevant person in charge of the Xiangshan Natural Resources and Planning Bureau, maritime management and protection combined with onshore publicity and inspection, cracked down on all kinds of illegal acts that damage resources, and curbed fishermen's going to the island and illegally entering the protected area for production activities. On the other hand, Xiangshan asked for advice from all sides, asked experts, and found ways to protect the Chinese crested tern. In 2010, Xiangshan hosted the first International Forum on Seabird Conservation and Marine Protected Area Management, and in 2012, Xiangshan held a seminar on population attraction and recovery of Chinese crested terns. Some experts have proposed that the method of artificial attraction should be used to help Chinese crested terns breed on islands in the eastern waters of China.
The technology of artificially attracting seabirds has been relatively mature in foreign countries, and in China it is a new way to explore bird protection. In March 2013, Xiangshan Lishan Islands National Nature Reserve, together with Zhejiang Museum of Natural History and Oregon State University, launched the Chinese Crested Tern Monitoring and Attraction Project, which was the first experiment in China to artificially guide the intervention of birds to select breeding sites. The project uses fake birds and bird sound playback to attract Chinese crested terns and their companion flocks of great crested terns to roost and breed here in order to rebuild and rehabilitate the breeding populations of Chinese crested terns and great crested terns.
Camp on an uninhabited island
Explore new ways for population recovery
A endangered species, gradually recovered, the population reached nearly 150, the Chinese crested tern team gradually grew, Ding Peng is a participant and a witness: he took hundreds of thousands of photos of chinese crested terns, recording the whole process of the recovery of this precious species population. The Xiangshan County Natural Resources and Planning Bureau has been promoting the construction of the rescue and protection project of the Chinese crested tern population in the Leek Mountain Archipelago for many years, so it has won the "National Wildlife Guardian Award - Pioneer Guard".
Conservation personnel build a comfortable breeding environment for Chinese crested terns, but also to form a biodiversity marine ecological environment. Ding Peng told reporters that the island where the Chinese crested tern originally inhabited was outside the Leek Mountain Archipelago, with large winds and waves and steep terrain, which was not suitable for the survival of the Chinese crested tern and chicks. To this end, experts re-explored and settled the new home of the Chinese crested tern on Zhongtie Upset Island. "The wind and waves of China Railway Dunyu Island are small, the terrain is relatively flat, and the ship is convenient to dock, and Jigushan Island, which is across the sea from the island, is a good place to stay and observe." In 2013, he participated in the project, camping on an uninhabited island to observe the handsome figure of the Chinese crested tern.
On the grass, rocks and beaches of China Tie Tie Upset Island, volunteers placed 400 fake birds the same size as the Chinese crested tern, which were imported from the United States and made of silicone and plastic, and could withstand the wind and rain without losing their hair or color. In the vicinity of the false birds, several bird sound playback systems are set up to attract Chinese crested terns to roost and breed in selected areas by using the false birds and the pre-recorded calls of the Chinese crested tern and the great crested tern breeding group before the breeding season begins. Bird sound playback systems run on batteries and solar energy and can make uninterrupted courtship calls for months on end.
From May to July, for more than 70 days, the Chinese crested tern is delayed. The loneliness on the island coupled with the anxiety in his heart, Ding Peng's heart was full of disappointment, and even began to doubt the artificial attraction project, and Ding Peng was ready to evacuate. "July 21, 2013!" Ding Peng will always remember this day, he described, "Thousands of big crested terns circling the island, of which 4 Chinese crested terns were identified." Through the telescope, gazing at the graceful dance of the white Chinese crested tern, Ding Peng regained the motivation to monitor. Since then, he and another volunteer have continued to monitor, spending the Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival on the island until October.
This year, 3,300 Great Crested Terns and 19 Chinese Crested Terns laid their eggs on the island, hatching more than a thousand Great Crested Terns and two Chinese Crested Terns. For the first time, the Chinese crested tern was successfully bred in the Leek Shan Archipelago, which means that the Chinese crested tern monitoring and attraction project has been successful.
Since 2014, the project team members have begun to climb the Lancerium Island of China Railway to observe the habits of Chinese crested terns "at zero distance" and accumulate data for scientific research work. Ding Peng introduced that the island has built a board house for volunteers to live, three wooden bird watching wooden houses for daily monitoring, and people and birds live in harmony.
In Xiangshan, the population of Chinese crested terns at the top of the food chain of marine ecosystems is gradually recovering, partly reflecting the abundance of local marine species and the healthy marine ecosystem. "We do our best to provide a better living space for species, maintain biodiversity, achieve balanced development of species, and build a healthy natural ecological environment." The person in charge of the Natural Resources and Planning Bureau of Xiangshan County introduced. In recent years, through marine ecological restoration actions, Xiangshan has restored a total of 93.1 kilometers of coastline, remediated and protected 5 islands, and 220 hectares of coastal wetlands, which has greatly improved the marine ecological environment and ecological functions.
With the gradual recovery of the Chinese crested tern population, the staff involved in the conservation project are pleased. Over the years, with the remarkable results of the recruitment and protection of Chinese crested terns, other birds such as white-billed crested terns and small crested terns have appeared in the reserve. Today, there are 154 species of birds in the reserve. In the Xiangshan Lishan Islands National Nature Reserve, in addition to the "mythical birds", the main objects of protection are large yellow croakers, finless porpoises and various seabirds, through which these species form a harmonious and balanced marine island and reef ecosystem.
Volunteers perform circumferences for terns
Monitoring and protection
Each hatching nest is numbered
The Xiangshan Leek Mountain Archipelago has become a paradise for the "birds of mythology" to flourish. In the past two years, the habitat environment of China Railway Upsetting Island has been improving day by day, making it safer and more comfortable. The staff of the reserve transformed the terrain on the side of China Railway Upsetting Island into a terraced field, forming a flat plot, laying carpets, gravel, regular weeding, artificial nesting, and creating a safe and comfortable habitat for the tern flock. Ding Peng introduced that this year's bird farm is different from the past, and three kinds of sites are set up, namely soil, sand and stone, to observe the influence of different sites on the success rate of tern spawning and hatching.
As a researcher, Wang Siyu is also a regular visitor to Zhongtie Upset island, where he explores the behavior of Chinese crested terns and helps the "mythical bird" population continue to grow. "Our only manual intervention in this project is to create suitable breeding sites where they can reproduce naturally in a safe environment to expand the population." This time, she climbed the China Railway Upsetting Island and found that this year there are more Chinese crested terns, and the time to breed is also much earlier.
At present, the reserve has set up 3 bird watching wooden houses hidden in the grass and 2 monitoring points on the Middle Railway Dun Island to achieve 24-hour full monitoring. Since 2017, the China Crested Tern Attraction Project has begun to recruit volunteers. Listening to the waves, bird watching, this "most poetic volunteer position" became popular on the Internet as soon as it was released, receiving hundreds of applications from people from all walks of life. Two volunteers each come to the island in two groups each year, and as of this year, more than 20 volunteers have been selected.
The first two volunteers this year are young girls named Lan Jiayi and Shi Yuehong, both of whom are bird lovers. On April 20, the two girls landed on China Railway Dun Island for the first time under the leadership of the staff. At 8 p.m. that night, the two saw two large crested terns landing on the bird farm. Seeing two big crested terns landing across the screen, Shi Yuehong and Lan Jiayi were pleasantly surprised.
On April 22, on the third day of the island, they found the first Chinese crested tern landing in the bird farm during a surveillance video replay the night before. "There are always surprises, the number of bird species seen in the telescope is too many to count, and for the first time, we have seen the finless porpoise, and in such an environment, we have a new understanding of protecting the ecological environment." Shi Yuehong said that when she first went to the island, she could see more than 300 terns landing on the ground every day, including many Chinese crested terns.
The two volunteers will not forget the day when the first Baby Chinese Crested Tern came out of its shell this year: 7:14 on June 3. "During the 28-day incubation period, we are looking forward to and observing every day." Lan Jiayi said. They carefully observe and record interesting details of the chinese crested tern: for example, the baby Chinese crested tern that has just come out of the shell spends most of its time sleeping. Adult Chinese crested terns choose food according to the growth stage of the cubs: the side-banded male fish is the first choice for newborns, and the yellow crucian carp, small striped fish and other cubs are suitable for learning to walk.
Two board rooms, electricity from solar energy, a water storage tank to provide domestic water. In this overgrown environment, the two girls were stationed for two months, and on rainy days, they could only leave their limited power to the monitoring equipment. Volunteer work includes counting the number of breeding seabirds, observing and documenting the breeding of seabirds, and maintaining facilities and equipment on the island. Lan Jiayi said that once a day in the morning and once in the evening, through the surveillance camera one by one to count the number of Chinese crested terns, each time a Chinese crested tern is found to hatch an egg, they make up a number for their nest.
Long-term monitoring and documentation, the mystery of the "mythical bird" is also being unveiled by researchers. "For example, the courtship behavior of Chinese crested terns is very interesting, during the breeding period, they are monogamous, and it is often seen that there are birds clinging to small fish, but it is actually male terns courting." Wang Siyu introduced that the Chinese crested tern will stabilize on the breeding island after gathering a certain number. On the island, male terns hold small fish to find a mate, female terns accept food if they feel suitable, two terns open their wings and circle around each other, and after determining the relationship, there will be accompanied flights, air circles and other behaviors.
【Reporter's Note】
Poetic inhabitation harmonious coexistence
Should be Lei
Lonely island bird watching, listening to the tide. On the Tie Lant Islands in the Xiangshan Leek Mountains Archipelago, this seemingly poetic bird guarding work has lasted for several years.
One island, two people, three meals, there are constantly volunteers coming here to contribute to the breeding of Chinese crested terns. Overcoming the hardships of life, volunteering and birds, and living in harmony with the entire natural environment, this is the poetry of this post.
Seabirds are an important indicator of the health of marine ecosystems, and the Chinese crested tern is one of the representative species. In fact, volunteers and protected area staff protect not only the Chinese crested tern, but the marine ecosystem associated with it; they are not only promoting the story of volunteer protection, but also hoping that the public will understand that there is such a group of people who are working hard to protect wild animals and protect the ocean.
Unlike complete captive breeding. For the protection of chinese crested terns, the conservation base of Xiangshan protects the natural breeding of populations with limited artificial intervention. The Xiangshan approach explores a new path for the conservation and breeding of rare wildlife. Today, the "mythical bird" is no longer mysterious, and the trend toward extinction of the Chinese crested tern has been initially stopped. However, there will be more attempts to protect rare species, and there will be more exploration of the path of harmony between man and nature.