This study evaluated the wild adaptation of released Black-faced Spoonbills using a headstarting strategy. Rings were attached to five captive-reared spoonbills and five wild spoonbills born in Gaksiam. Additionally, transmitters were attached to thre...
This study evaluated the wild adaptation of released Black-faced Spoonbills using a headstarting strategy. Rings were attached to five captive-reared spoonbills and five wild spoonbills born in Gaksiam. Additionally, transmitters were attached to three released spoonbills and five wild spoonbills to compare habitat use, migration, and survival rates through re-sight and tracking data. As a result of the tracking data, two of the released spoonbills and five wild spoonbills used the tidal flat on southern Ganghwa Island after release or fledging for migration. One released spoonbill used the tidal flat near Donggeom Island and northern Yeongjong Island. Among the tracked spoonbills, one released spoonbill and three wild spoonbills had migrated from the West Sea to China. After migration, the released spoonbill wintered in Liyang Bay between Hangzhou Bay and Taizhou Bay, which were previously known spoonbill wintering site. One of the spoonbills, which was released with only an attached color band, wintered in Tai Lake, Suzhou, China. Tracking and re-sight record analyses revealed that, two released spoonbills died during the first wintering period. One wild spoonbill died before wintering, and one died during wintering. The survival rate of the released spoonbills was 60%, and the survival rate of the wild spoonbills was 60% one year after release or fledging. Headstarting for spoonbills is still in its early stages, and there is a limit to evaluating its effectiveness because of the small number of released individuals. This study revealed that the released spoonbills succeeded in wintering and migrating, and there is a possibility for future development of this strategy. If headstarting is further improved and expanded, it is expected to contribute to the population reinforcement of breeding sites with low reproductive success rates.