Birdwatchers near the resort town of Kenting have spotted a western marsh harrier, a bird of prey never officially seen in Taiwan before, reports said Saturday (November 9).
A significant number of migratory birds have been moving across Pingtung County on Taiwan’s southern tip, an area on their route to warmer climes ahead of winter.
A birdwatcher posted two pictures on Facebook of birds he had seen near a lake in the area. While one of the animals was a relatively common eastern marsh harrier, a netizen identified the other bird as a western marsh harrier or Circus aeruginosus, more common in Europe, West Asia and Africa, but officially never seen in Taiwan before, the Central News Agency reported.
As far back as 1865, it had been reportedly spotted in Kaohsiung, but since there was no photographic or other evidence, the sighting was never officially accepted.
The western marsh harrier, also known as Eurasian marsh harrier, is 43 to 54 centimeter in length and has a wingspan of 115 to 130 cm.
The Longluan Lake Wetland where the rare bird was sighted, is known as a popular site for migratory birds. The management of Kenting National Park has even installed a birdwatching center in the area, according to CNA.
