Conservationists urge the public to give birds on beaches a quiet nesting season

• By Huang Ming-tang and William Hetherington / Personal Reporter, with a personal editor

Conservation activists staged a protest at Jhihben Beach in Taitung County yesterday, calling on the public to avoid activities that disrupt breeding seagulls.

Breeding gulls’ nests are threatened by anglers visiting the beach, the group said, while citing other behaviors people should avoid so as not to disturb the gulls.

People should not allow construction to interfere with nests, should not drive across beaches during nesting season, should not venture near chicks, should not allow dogs or other pets near nests or chicks, and should keep beaches clean, he said. .

Kentish plovers, little terns and other migratory birds also breed across the county from this month to August, he added.

The Little Tern (class 2 protected species), Piping Plover (class 3 protected species), Lesser Plover, Savannah Nightjar and Sky Lark, among other species, tend to nest on the beaches of sand and in coastal vegetation areas, Wu Chih-sheng (吳志昇), president of the Taitung Wild Bird Society.

“The wetlands on the north bank of the mouth of the Jhihben River have the most nests, as the area is a complete habitat for birds,” he said, adding that migratory birds that nest in the region lay eggs with colors that blend into the environment. to avoid predators.

The hatchlings only have two to three months to develop before having to migrate for the winter, which means they should not be disturbed during these critical months, Wu added.