Sanctuary of Red-throated Loons on Geoje Coast

Loons are winter migratory birds in Korea comprising five species worldwide, all of which breed in areas around the Arctic — British Columbia and Alaska in Canada, the Kuril Islands, the Amur region, Sakhalin and Scandinavia. In Korea, three species can be seen in winter along the coasts of Geojedo Island and Namhae: the red-throated loon, the Pacific loon and the yellow-billed loon. They live on shallow lakes, ponds, marshes and coasts across the wide plains near the Arctic, and sometimes also in forests not far from the shore. The loon sanctuary on the Geoje coast is the only place in Korea where a large flock of loons spends the winter. Of the three, the red-throated loon is distributed along Geojedo's coastline, and single birds can also be seen scattered, not uncommonly, along the whole south coast. The Pacific loon and the yellow-billed loon were long considered rare, but it has recently been found that between 1,000 and 2,000 birds, or more, regularly visit the Geoje coast every year to spend the winter there. Loons are excellent divers but clumsy on land, so they easily fall victim to hazards, and their numbers are declining year by year. As the only place in Korea where loons can overwinter, the sanctuary on the Geoje coast is designated a natural monument for protection.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Geoje, Gyeongnam

Designation

Natural Monument · 천연기념물