Radio Taiwan International
Date: 03 May, 2019
By: Paula Chao
Nearly 1,000 whiskered terns descend on Taitung
About 1,000 whiskered terns have descended unexpectedly on the eastern county of Taitung over the past two days, giving bird-watchers a rare treat.
The whiskered tern is a migratory bird that usually visits southern Taiwan in autumn and winter. However, nearly 1,000 of them were found hovering in the sky over Taitung over the past two days.
They arrived over the eastern county in droves, flying overhead or looking for food on riverbeds. Their large numbers serve as an advantage, allowing them to ward off natural predators while training juvenile birds at the same time.
Bird watcher Hsu Chen says the birds are flying towards Taiwan’s hinterlands due to bad weather. In general, they can also be seen in the coastal regions of Chiayi County and Tainan City on the west coast. [FULL STORY]
