Sanctuary of Migratory Birds at Nakdonggang River Estuary

Migratory birds are birds that move seasonally between breeding grounds and wintering grounds. Birds that breed in the north and come to Korea for the winter are called winter birds, while those that fly up from the south in spring to breed and return south in autumn are called summer birds. There are also passage migrants and irregular visitors. Korea's representative migratory birds include summer birds such as the cuckoo, egret and Oriental dollarbird, and winter birds such as the goose, cinereous vulture, crane and owl. The Sanctuary of Migratory Birds at the Nakdonggang River Estuary occupies the broad estuarine area between Busan and the Gimhae plain, where numerous deltas and sand dunes have formed. These sand dunes, however, are shifted or washed away when the Nakdonggang River floods or typhoons strike. As these changes occur, the birds move around the sand dunes and the surrounding tidal flats in search of food. The area is rich in small aquatic animals and plants, and its broad expanse of undeveloped reed beds makes it a suitable refuge for waterbirds. Because of these conditions, large flocks of sandpipers and plovers pass through the area on migration in spring and autumn. In winter, too, the delta area at the mouth of the Nakdonggang River rarely freezes over, so large numbers of winter migrants gather there regularly every year from November to March. Species designated as natural monuments, such as the white-naped crane and the black-faced spoonbill, can occasionally be seen there, along with rare birds such as the Oriental pratincole and the spoon-billed sandpiper. In recent years, however, the number of species and the size of the migratory bird flocks have declined because of environmental damage caused by the construction of an estuary barrage and reclamation works, water pollution from wastewater, sewage and household waste, and the reclamation of farmland. The Sanctuary of Migratory Birds at the Nakdonggang River Estuary is not only one of Korea's largest migratory bird sanctuaries but also an internationally important site linking Japan, Korea and Russia. Its biological, geological and marine environment is also of great academic and educational value, and for this reason it is designated and protected as a natural monument.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Location not stated, Busan

Designation

Natural Monument · 천연기념물