On October 21, reporters learned from the Tiaozini Scenic Area in Dongtai, Yancheng, that a biodiversity survey team from Nanjing Forestry University successfully captured footage of a glossy ibis in the “720 High-Tide Roosting Habitat for Migratory Birds” at Tiaozini Wetland.
The glossy ibis, a national first-class protected species and a close relative of the crested ibis, is even rarer than the giant panda and has been dubbed the “Panda of the Bird World.” This is the first recorded sighting of the species in Tiaozini.
“At the end of the 20th century, the glossy ibis was once believed to have disappeared from the wild in mainland China,” said a member of the Nanjing Forestry University Wetland Biodiversity Survey Team. “It was not rediscovered until 2003 in Taiwan. In January 2005, the species was recorded again in the mangrove forests of Zhanjiang, Guangdong, and in the following years, scattered sightings have been reported in several regions.”
In Jiangsu Province, however, observations of the glossy ibis remain extremely rare. “Because the species is few in number and its distribution is very limited, spotting it here in Tiaozini is truly exceptional,” said a staff member of the Tiaozini Scenic Area.
“This year’s birdwatching competition recorded 212 bird species in total, including three newly added species in the Tiaozini area. So far, 418 bird species have been documented in Tiaozini,” the staff member added.
