Black-tailed gulls welcome visitors to Gao Ping River, but "black collars" are seen, indicating the problem of marine waste

Taipei [Taiwan], February 16 (ANI/CNA): Black-tailed gulls welcomed tourists in Taiwan's Gaoping River, but "black collars" showed the problem of marine waste. The Spring Festival at the outlet of Gaoping River ushered in hundreds of black-tailed gulls to attract bird lovers to take pictures.
Yesterday, Chen Junqiang, chairman of the Linyuan Hometown Lovers Association, photographed a "black-necked" black-tailed gull that was suspected to be wrapped in a black rubber band.
He lamented that this suffering migratory bird highlighted that the global ocean is seriously disabled.
Chen Junqiang, told the Central News Agency reporter that the neck of this "black-necked black-tailed gull" is suspected to be covered with a black rubber band, and it should be marine debris; in the past few years, bird lovers have also visited Fugang Fishing Port in Taitung and such a black-tailed gull was photographed in Erkan, Xiyu Island, Penghu, but it cannot be confirmed whether it is the same one.
Junqiang said that birders began to find dozens of black-tailed gulls before the Lunar New Year, and the number increased to more than 70 during the Spring Festival.
Recently, the number has continued to increase to about a hundred; black-tailed gulls are transiting in Taiwan and not spending the winter, so their stay time is It won't take long, and the habit is for the adult birds to take the sub-adults and young birds with them.
Regarding the "black-necked black-tailed gull", Junqiang said that marine migratory birds can best understand the seriousness of global marine waste.
The "black-necked black-tailed gull" that has appeared continuously in recent years is a warning signal, although it is not certain. Where to put it, but it also highlights the seriousness of marine waste, and the Linyuan coast has accumulated garbage washed down by the Gaoping River for many years. "No matter how much the association cleans the beach, it can't be picked up."
According to observations by birders, the estuary of Gaoping Creek has not seen a large number of black-tailed gulls passing by since 2016.
Most of them only have sporadic single-digit sightings. However, this year, a large number of visitors appeared again, which is very exciting for birders.
Black-tailed gulls are medium-sized seagulls, and their flight in flocks is quite spectacular. Chen Junqiang said that black-tailed gulls will fly to the estuary of Gaoping River to look for food, mainly small fish.
Chen Junqiang said that after the August 8 typhoon, the landform of the Gaoping River mouth changed, and coupled with the interference from the dredging project at the outlet, the number of black-tailed gulls crossing the border was greatly reduced.
In 2016, hundreds of black-tailed gulls appeared at the estuary of Gaoping River and Linyuan Shanwei Fishing Port. At that time, black-tailed gulls circled like a tornado. (ANI/CNA)