The first individual black-faced spoonbill, a large white wading bird with a distinctive beak shaped like a spoon, was discovered in Tri An Lake, the southern province of Dong Nai, according to the Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserve.

Black-faced spoonbill was listed in 2007 Vietnam’s Red Data Book (Photo: carolinabirds.org)

Experts say that Tri An Lake is a crucial area for the bird, scientifically named the Eurasian Spoonbill, to rest during migration.

Black-faced spoonbills feed on fish and shrimp in shallow water such as tidal-flats, swamps, ponds and flooded areas in fresh, salt and brackish waters.

In 2005, they were found in Tien Hai (the northern province of Thai Binh) and Bien Hoa (Dong Nai). However, only Xuan Thuy National Park in Nam Dinh province have recorded their presence in recent years. The bird was listed in 2007 Vietnam’s Red Data Book and entered the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List in 2009.

According to some documents, the black-faced spoonbills have a niche existence in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), the Republic of Korea (RoK), Japan, China and Vietnam.

They breed between March and September on small islands along the western coast of the Korean Peninsula to China’s Liaoning province. The Demilitarised Zone between the DPRK and the RoK where human access is restricted is the biggest and most successful breeding area.

In winter, they migrate southward to their wintering grounds where they are protected. Those include Taijian National Park (Taiwan), Mai Po Nature Reserve (Hong Kong), Manko Waterbird and Wetland Centre (Japan) and Xuan Thuy National Park (Vietnam).

VNA