Individuals of the Black-faced Spoonbill, Crested Ibis, and Black-tailed Godwit are at risk of extinction and have been discovered in the Tra O lagoon area, Phu My district.
The rare bird species were found during a field survey in the Tra O lagoon, Phu My district, Binh Dinh province from December 6-9. This activity is part of a national-level independent research project titled “Study and assessment of the current status of bird species and proposing management and conservation solutions for bird species in the coastal lagoon areas of Central Vietnam.”
5 Black-faced Spoonbills. (Photo: Lê Mạnh Hùng).
The survey recorded 5 individuals of the Black-faced Spoonbill (also known as the Black-faced Spoonbill or Spoonbill) in the Tra O lagoon area. The Black-faced Spoonbill is a bird species endemic to East Asia, currently classified as “endangered” (EN) in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and the Vietnam Red Book.
The Black-faced Spoonbill breeds in Japan, South Korea, and North Korea and migrates to winter in Vietnam. The global population is estimated to be only about 4,000-5,000 individuals. In Vietnam, this species typically winters in the Northeast region (Quang Ninh, Nam Dinh, Thai Binh), with numbers fluctuating annually between 50-80 individuals. The presence of 5 Black-faced Spoonbills in the Tra O lagoon marks the first official record of this species wintering in Central Vietnam.
A flock of Black-tailed Godwits in the Tra O lagoon. (Photo: Quỳnh Dao).
Two other rare bird species were also discovered, namely the Crested Ibis and Black-tailed Godwit. Both of these species are listed as “near threatened” in the IUCN Red List. The Crested Ibis is a small bird characterized by a long black crest on its head. This species is primarily distributed in the Northeast and North Central regions. The Black-tailed Godwit is known for its long, straight bill and prefers coastal areas, mudflats, and wetlands.
Tra O lagoon (also known as Chau Truc lagoon or Bau Bang lagoon) is a natural lagoon located in the northeastern part of Phu My district, Binh Dinh province. Tra O lagoon covers a vast area of approximately 13,000 hectares, with a circumference of about 20 kilometers, always filled with water. This lagoon is known for its high level of biodiversity in Vietnam.
According to experts, the recorded presence of the Black-faced Spoonbill, Crested Ibis, and Black-tailed Godwit indicates that the Tra O lagoon area provides a suitable habitat for waterbirds and is significant for the conservation of wild bird species, especially migratory and wintering birds.
