Breeding Ground of Black-tailed Gulls, Chinese Egrets, and Black-faced Spoonbills on Chilsando Island, Yeonggwang

The black-tailed gull is a common resident bird, usually seen along coasts and fishing grounds. Because it feeds on fish scraps and food waste discarded from boats, it is sometimes called the "harbour cleaner," and because it flies following shoals of fish, it is also known as a "fish finder." The Chinese egret breeds in Korea, China, and Taiwan; it is an endangered bird that lives in paddy fields, tidal flats, and salt farms. The black-faced spoonbill is a rare species that breeds in Korea and China and lives in marshes, lakes, open waterside areas, and estuaries. It is estimated that only about 650 black-faced spoonbills remain worldwide; in Korea they arrive mainly in summer and are found along the coasts and uninhabited islands of the southwest. The breeding ground of black-tailed gulls, Chinese egrets, and black-faced spoonbills on Chilsando Island, Yeonggwang consists of seven uninhabited islands. The islands are called Chilsando because they lie in the sea off Chilsan. The terrain of Chilsando is generally one of gently sloping rocky shores, and plants grow only on the upper parts of five of the seven islands. The main plants are silverberry, spindle tree, and reeds, and on the summits of the islands, Japanese mallotus and silverberry grow in dense clusters. Black-tailed gulls and Chinese egrets breed here mainly, while black-faced spoonbills live on the cliff rocks. The waters around the islands are shallow, and at low tide the shallows become turbid, creating good conditions for plankton to live in. The breeding ground of black-tailed gulls, Chinese egrets, and black-faced spoonbills on Chilsando Island, Yeonggwang is the largest breeding colony of black-tailed gulls in Korea and is of great academic value as a breeding site for endangered, rare birds such as the Chinese egret and the black-faced spoonbill; it is therefore designated and protected as a natural monument. Chilsando is currently designated a restricted-access area to protect the breeding grounds of the black-tailed gull and other birds, and entry for management or research purposes requires the permission of the Korea Heritage Service Administrator.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Yeonggwang, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Natural Monument · 천연기념물