The "mythical bird" appeared in Jiaozhou Bay, with a total of about 100 in the world

Recently, almost hundreds of Chinese Crested Terns, known as the "mythical bird", flew to Qingdao, which surprised Qingdao birdwatching enthusiasts.

The Chinese Crested Tern is a medium-sized waterbird with a body length of 38-42 cm. The forehead, head and crown feathers are black, the upper body is light gray, the wings are gray, and the outer primary flight feathers are black. The tail is white and deeply forked. Underparts white. The bill is yellow with a broad black tip. Feet black. The non-breeding plumage is similar to the summer plumage, but the forehead and crown are white. Iris brown. The bill is slightly thicker and slightly curved than that of terns. It is yellow and has a black subterminal spot on the tip.

The Chinese Crested Tern is the rarest bird in China. It is listed as a critically endangered species on the Red List of World Birds, which is the most serious level of extreme danger of extinction. Because they are rare in number and on the verge of extinction, they are often mixed in tern flocks and are difficult to observe. People know less about their living habits. Mysterious, precious, rare, and rare are all adjectives for Chinese Crested Tern, so scholars have Call it the "mythical bird."  

The Chinese Crested Tern was first recorded in 1861, but was extremely rare and was generally considered extinct until 2000. However, in 2000, four adults and four juveniles were discovered again on the Matsu Islands off the coast of Fujian Province, which became great news in the ornithology community that year. In 2004, another breeding colony was discovered on the Jiushan Islands off the coast of Zhejiang Province, making these two remaining colonies in the world.

On August 19, 2016, Yu Tao, a member of the Qingdao Bird Watching Association, discovered the Chinese Crested Tern again near the mouth of the Dagu River in Jiaozhou Bay during a waterbird survey in Jiaozhou Bay. The first discovery was recorded of four Chinese Crested Terns, 2 in 2 young. Following detailed subsequent investigations, six more adult birds were discovered in the intertidal zone about 500 meters west of the first discovery location, and one adult bird was also found at the mouth of Yanghe River. The Chinese Crested Terns found in Qingdao are dispersing birds after breeding.

In April 2021, the Chinese Crested Tern was listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It is one of the "100 Most Endangered Species". There are currently about 100 in the world, and it is listed as a national first-level protected animal by my country. .

On October 7, 2021, investigators Xu Keyang and Yu Tao of the Qingdao Birdwatching Association were conducting a routine survey of waterbirds in Jiaozhou Bay. They were pleasantly surprised to record 37 Chinese Crested Terns, a globally endangered species. This is the highest number so far. The largest record of Chinese Crested Tern in the world during the non-breeding season. The total number of Chinese Crested Terns in the world is only about 100, and the number recorded this time is close to 40% of the total number of species in the world. Since 2016, the Chinese Crested Tern has arrived at the Dagu Estuary of Jiaozhou Bay for five consecutive years, which shows that the Dagu Estuary wetland in Jiaozhou Bay has become an important migratory stop for Chinese Crested Tern.

Xue Lin, president of the Qingdao Birdwatching Association, said that as the number of Chinese Crested Tern continues to increase, the association conducts daily monitoring of the densely distributed areas of Chinese Crested Tern and the overall distribution of Chinese Crested Tern in Jiaozhou Bay. , adult-to-young ratio, individual moulting status monitoring, food structure, brooding behavior, population increase and decrease changes, flag records, threat factors, etc. are comprehensively recorded. It is expected that the number of Chinese Crested Terns in Jiaozhou Bay will reach its peak in October this year, and there is still more than a month until October. It is believed that as time goes by, more Chinese Crested Terns will gather in Jiaozhou Bay.

However, Xue Lin also reminded all bird watching enthusiasts that in order to further allow the "mythical bird" to enjoy a peaceful and comfortable living environment, starting from August 23 this year, the Chinese Crested Tern Red Island habitat will be closed for management. Bird photography enthusiasts and bird watching enthusiasts are not allowed to visit for the time being. "We must all work together to protect the living environment of these rare species so that they can thrive. I hope that one day in the future, the bird's habitat can be completely opened so that more people can appreciate these critically endangered species and at the same time Let our future generations enjoy them," Xue Lin said.

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