Rare White-fronted Goose Spotted for the First Time at Suncheon Bay

Endangered Bird Species Wintering in North America

Suncheon City, Jeollanam-do (Mayor Noh Gwan-gyu) announced on the 2nd that a single Tundra Swan was first observed around 8:30 a.m. on the 1st at the Suncheonman Black Crane Hope Agricultural Complex.

The Tundra Swan is a bird species belonging to the order Anseriformes and family Anatidae, designated as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Its body length ranges from 64 to 76 cm, with an entirely white body except for black wingtips. It primarily breeds in Alaska and northeastern Siberia, winters in North America, and is a rare bird occasionally observed mixed within flocks of geese in Korea.

At around 8:30 a.m. on the 1st, one white-fronted goose was first observed at the Suncheonman Hooded Crane Hope Agricultural Complex. Provided by Suncheon City

A birdwatcher participating in the 7 a.m. Suncheonman Walking Birdwatching Program first spotted the Tundra Swan feeding on rice grains between Black Cranes and Greater White-fronted Geese. The birdwatcher expressed great joy at discovering the Tundra Swan, which had never been recorded in Suncheonman on the first day of December.

An official from the city stated, “The Ramsar Trail, where you walk barefoot, is emerging as a winter migratory birdwatching hotspot in Korea,” and added, “We hope visitors will have the fortune of encountering rare migratory birds during the Suncheonman birdwatching trip that combines sound and walking.”

Meanwhile, at the Suncheonman Birdwatching Platform, it is possible to observe endangered winter migratory birds, including Black Cranes, up close from a distance of 80 meters. The birdwatching program is available for up to 15 participants aged 7 and older per session on a first-come, first-served basis and can be reserved through the Suncheonman Wetland website.

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