Table of Contents
- Crested Ibis Reintroduction Project
- Short-Tailed Albatross Conservation and Breeding Project
- Provision of information related to migratory swans and ducks
- Surveys using color markings
- Monitoring Sites 1000 Project – Seabird Survey
Crested Ibis Reintroduction Project
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A project to reintroduce the Crested Ibis is ongoing in Sado, Niigata Prefecture, where the last wild ibises was found. In the project, efforts have been made since 2008 to breed and raise the Crested Ibis in captivity and release it into the wild. Leg bands, wing coloring, and transmitters are used to identify individuals that are bred and trained at the Sado Japanese Crested Ibis Conservation Center and the Reintroduction Center as well as to track their behavior after release. Detailed information on the identification of these individuals is available to the public in order to gather information from residents on the island. Information on the Crested Ibis (the Nature Conservation Bureau, the Ministry of the Environment) Reintroduction Center(the Ministry of the Environment) |
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Short-Tailed Albatross Conservation and Breeding Project
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The Short-tailed Albatross, which was once believed to be extinct, only to be later rediscovered, has been protected by the implementation of various initiatives. The number of individuals has so far recovered to around 2,000. On Torishima island of the Izu Islands, a project using decoys to lure Short-tailed Albatross to induce the formation of a new colony has been implemented over the last 20 years. Another project is also being conducted to relocate Short-tailed Albatross from Torishima island to Mukojima island of the Ogasawara Islands, where Short-tailed Albatross are known to have nested in the past. In this project, chicks are transferred from Torishima island to Mukojima island where they are raised in captivity. For both projects, numbered leg bands are used to identify individuals to confirm the fledging of raised chicks as well as arriving birds. On some individuals, satellite tracking transmitters are attached, providing detailed migratory information. Prospects of the Revival of the Short-Tailed Albatross (Yamashina Institute for Ornithology) |
Provision of information related to migratory swans and ducks
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In response to the recent presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in Japan, various control measures have been taken. As it is highly likely that the virus was brought in by infected migratory birds such as swans and ducks, strong attention has been focused on bird migratory routes, particularly those of birds that migrate from the north in winter. Data from banding studies of swans and wild geese has been accumulated over many years using neckbands and other visually recognizable markings. Banding surveys on ducks have also been conducted continuously at the duck hunting field of the Imperial Household Agency and other sites. Information based on these data, particularly information on the inbound migration routes of swans and ducks, which are representative winter birds, is provided to help identify infection routes of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. Information related to migratory birds(the Nature Conservation Bureau, the Ministry of the Environment) Information concerning the arrival of migratory geese and ducks throughout the nation |
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Surveys using color markings
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Color-marks that enable researchers to identify individual birds with binoculars and telescopes without the need to recapture them are sometimes used in surveys, in addition to numbered metal leg bands. Using color-marks enables the wide involvement of bird watchers in surveys to gather intensive information on bird migration. Methods for individual color markings include colored leg bands for herons and egrets, colored neck bands for swans, and colored leg flags for waders. Researchers have produced many successful results using these markers. Survey of waders using colored flags Survey of herons and egrets using colored bands(Yamashina Institute for Ornithology) Information about Color Marking in Japan(Japanese Bird Banding Association) |
Monitoring Sites 1000 Project – Seabird Survey
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Monitoring Sites 1000 is a project in which various types of ecosystems, numbering about 1000 sites in total throughout Japan, are continuously studied to gather information on changes in the number of individuals of various species that serve as indicators of the state of an ecosystem. As part of the project, the Monitoring Sites 1000 Project – Seabird Survey particularly focuses on studying seabirds at 30 sites nationwide on a regular basis to understand the breeding status, determine the number of individuals and gather other information. Monitoring Sites 1000 |
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Ohshima island site |
