The Rare 'White-necked Waterhen' Has Nested in Taehwagang River

Ulsan City Discovers Two Nests of 10,000 Rare Resident Birds Worldwide

A white-necked water rail incubating eggs in a nest on the gravel bed along the Taehwagang River in Ulsan. It is a rare bird with only about 10,000 reported worldwide.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] The breeding nests of the rare resident bird 'White-faced Plover,' which is rarely seen worldwide, have been consecutively spotted around the Taehwa River area in Ulsan, drawing the attention of ornithologists.

The White-faced Plover is a precious bird reported to number only about 10,000 worldwide, and this time, a breeding nest itself was discovered near Seonbawi in the Taehwa River.

Ulsan City announced on the 4th that during the monitoring process of waterfowl habitats and endangered and protected wildlife in the Ulsan area, including the Taehwa River, nests of the White-faced Plover, a Class II endangered wild species, were found around Seonbawi in the Taehwa River on May 26 and June 1.

According to the city, on May 26, while observing waterfowl along the riverbank near Seonbawi in Beomseo-eup, Ulju-gun, three eggs with brown spots were found among the gravel. The monitoring personnel continued to observe the nest with the three eggs, but on June 1, the eggs in the nest had disappeared. They were either eaten by predators such as fishermen or snakes or stolen.

Just as they were reluctant to take their eyes off the nest, another nest with four eggs being alternately incubated by a female and a male was discovered among the gravel beds downstream nearby. Currently, the monitoring team is observing the hatching process from a distance.

The White-faced Plover was known as a winter migratory bird until 1994, when breeding was observed in Hyeon-ri, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province, and subsequent nationwide river surveys revealed that it breeds as a resident bird.

Ornithologists believe that this bird is distributed across Korea, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, but its habitat density is very low, with only about 10,000 individuals remaining worldwide.

While breeding and habitats have been decreasing due to riverbank gravel beds being submerged or tidal flats being reclaimed, the gravel beds along the Taehwa River are well preserved, providing an excellent environment for breeding.

The White-faced Plover (Charadrius placidus), belonging to the family Charadriidae of the order Charadriiformes, has a white chin and neck area, with a black neckband extending to the back of the neck between the neck and chest. The lower part of the neckband is wide and has a brown stripe extending to the back of the neck. They walk along the water's edge in small groups, feeding on aquatic insects and aquatic invertebrates.

A city official said, "The preservation status of the gravel banks along the Taehwa River in Ulsan is an optimal site not only for winter waterfowl but also for summer waterfowl to breed," adding, "Everyone must work to protect the eggs and nests so that the birds can breed safely."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.