'8 Days Earlier Than Last Year'... First Observation of Hooded Cranes at Suncheon Bay

Suncheon City, Jeollanam-do (Mayor Noh Gwan-gyu) announced that 13 Hooded Cranes began wintering at Suncheon Bay at 4:30 PM on the 20th, eight days earlier than last year.

Among the 13 Hooded Cranes, two are juveniles that flew about 2,500 km from Siberia, Russia, with their parents over approximately 70 days to arrive at Suncheon Bay.

원본보기 아이콘

The vanguard group of Hooded Cranes settled at Suncheon Bay, caring for the young birds and resting between reed beds to avoid the wind before starting to forage on the mudflats.

By 7 AM on the 21st, the number of Hooded Cranes at Suncheon Bay had increased to 40, and the population is expected to grow further over time.

The Hooded Crane is a Class II endangered wild species and a winter migratory bird that winters at Suncheon Bay from mid-October to March of the following year. The global population is estimated to be between 16,000 and 18,000 individuals, with more than 8,000 observed annually at Suncheon Bay.

Since 2009, the city has formed the Hooded Crane Farming Group to protect this internationally endangered species, installing vehicle light-blocking fences in the Hooded Crane Hope Agricultural Complex (62 hectares) to provide a stable habitat for migratory birds.

As the number of wintering individuals increases, the city plans to remove 15 utility poles in Anpung Field in the first half of next year to expand an additional 20 hectares of Hooded Crane habitat free from environmental disturbances.

Mayor Noh Gwan-gyu of Suncheon said, “The Hooded Crane, the city bird of Suncheon, symbolizes good luck, happiness, and family love,” adding, “We hope visitors receive abundant luck brought by the Hooded Cranes at Suncheon Bay.”

Meanwhile, the Suncheon Bay Reed Festival will be held from the 26th to the 27th at the Suncheon Bay Wetland area under the theme “See Birds, See Reeds, See Suncheon.” The festival will begin at 10 AM on the 26th with a daegeum (bamboo flute) performance at the Suncheon Bay Reed Pavilion, omitting unnecessary ceremonies.

This year’s Reed Festival offers unforgettable autumn experiences at Suncheon Bay, including programs that share Suncheon’s ecological philosophy such as the Ramsar Road Barefoot Walk, Suncheon Bay Sound Meditation, Suncheon Bay Birdwatching, and Hooded Crane Reed Fence Weaving, as well as events like the Backpacker’s Night at Suncheon Bay and Starlit Date in the Reed Forest.

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.