Taiwan’s special geographical position makes it a shelter for many migratory birds; Kenting National Park in the far south of Taiwan is also a place on the flight path of southeast Asian migratory birds, with over 200 species of birds either passing through or staying for the winter on the Hengchun Peninsula, attracting large numbers of bird-watchers. The most spectacular migrating bird sight of all is the Pingdong Hawk Migration Festival that takes place around National Day every year (Oct.10).

Because of its location and warm climate the Hengchun Peninsula attracts a large number of birds of passage. The most impressive sight every year is the daytime migration of hawks in autumn. Around National Day birdwatchers can be seen at the crack of dawn in Manzhou and at Lingxiao Pavilion in Sheding Nature Reserve, led by Tsai Yi-Jung a member of staff of Kenting National Park Headquarters’ Conservation Research Section, who introduces each bird of prey that soars overhead with the same meticulousness a person would give to counting the family jewels, taking the bird watchers into the world of the hawk.

Tsai Yi-Jung, has made a major contribution to the transformation of the Pingdong Hawk Migration Festival into an international event! In the old days when people were poor the people of the Hengchun Pensinsula caught and ate gray-faced buzzards and other migratory birds. After its establishment the national park headquarters actively promoted the “Migratory Bird Conservation Plan”, working hard to change the behavior of the locals and introduce conservation ideas. In those days Tsai was just a volunteer interpreter in the summer vacation. Up to present time, he has carried out planned bird of prey survey work for more than 20 years and can, at a glance, tell what species of bird is overhead and how many there are, winning him the sobriquet “bird counting master.” Step by step his conservation promotion efforts have changed the bird hunting habits of the locals. Because of his strong personal interest in his work his research has made great progress and has given Taiwan one of the best bird of prey data banks in East Asia; he has also established the “Hawks soaring through the clouds” website that continually provides the latest bird of prey related information.

“Migratory Bird Conservation Plan” is one of Kenting National Park Headquarters’ most important ecological conservation projects. The monitoring of the hawks that pass through Taiwan over more than 20 years has produced some surprising results, with many of these down to Tsai’s efforts. He said “Carrying out a bird survey is like running marathon.” Tsai Yi-Jung said that from the time when the hawk migration is about to start he has to be up at 4am and in place at the observation point and stay there until noon, and do this for two months without time off, to ensure that the data is accurate.

Hawk monitoring work in the national park is mainly carried out manually, with weather radar in a supporting role. When work is carried out the person, time and location have to be the same which means that a single surveyor has to stick to his/her post for two months! Apart from getting up early in spring and autumn and continually surveying the same location, data analysis and preparatory work has to be carried out, requiring a lot of physical effort and enthusiasm and a determination to carry out conservation work. Tsai Yi-Jung believes that his work in the field of bird of prey conservation and informing interested people about the wonders of the biological cycle and migration, letting them understand the importance of protecting the natural environment is well worth the effort!