By Peng Junjun

In late March, the intelligent bird monitoring system installed in Changqingsha, Rugao captured a clear image of black-faced spoonbill, a globally endangered species, for the first time.

Black-faced spoonbill, covered with white feathers, is named for its long, spoon-shaped bill, whose shape resembles the traditional Chinese musical instrument, the pipa. Black-faced spoonbill is an indicator species of wetlands with strict requirements for its living environment. It has been listed as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and is also a Class I protected animal in China. In the 2025 global census, only more than 7,000 individuals were recorded.

In as early as February 2021, black-faced spoonbill appeared in Rudong for the first time. From 2022 to 2025, it was recorded at different places every year, until it appeared in Changqingsha, Rugao, recently. Up to now, black-faced spoonbill has been observed in Nantong for six consecutive years.

【背景阅读】

全球濒危物种

黑脸琵鹭再现南通

3月下旬，安装在如皋长青沙的鸟类智能监测系统于首次捕捉到了世界濒危物种、国家一级保护动物黑脸琵鹭的清晰影像。

黑脸琵鹭，身披白羽，因拥有扁平如汤匙的“长嘴”，形态酷似中国传统乐器琵琶而得名。黑脸琵鹭是湿地指示物种，对生存环境要求严苛，已被列入《世界自然保护联盟濒危物种红色名录》濒危（EN）保护等级，也是中国国家一级保护动物，2025年全球普查仅录得7000余只。

早在2021年2月，黑脸琵鹭在如东首次现身，2022年至2025年每年在不同点位被记录，直至近日现身如皋长青沙。至此，黑脸琵鹭已在南通连续六年被观测到。