Hanbao Wetlands (14282)
Taiwan, China, Asia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b, A1d, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2001
National site name: Hanbao Wetlands
Central coordinates: Latitude: 24.0167, Longitude: 120.3500
System: marine, terrestrial
Area of KBA (km2): 24.24023
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Extent of the site: the north border is formed by the Hanbao River; the south border is the Wanhsing canal; on the east is Provincial Highway 17; and on the west the site extends from the levee for 3 km seaward into the Taiwan Strait. The Hanbao area is administered by Fangyuan Village of Changhua County. To the northwest is the edge of the Taiwan Strait, to the north is the Tatu River Estuary, to the south is the Zhuoshui River Estuary, so this site sits at the middle of the sensitive coastal wetlands on Taiwan’s west coast. It is also a gathering spot for migrating birds on their way north and south. In the Hanbao area, the Hanbao River and the Wanhsing Canal empty into the Taiwan Strait. There are also many different types of habitats creating excellent bird roosting environments including model aquaculture farms, fish ponds, beaches, marshes, paddy fields, dry land, grassy scrub, wind-protection forests, rivers, and the sea. Economic activities in the Hanbao area consist mostly of oyster culture, fisheries, and agriculture; within the levee, the lands are under low-level development, including numerous fishponds and paddy fields. These economic activities do not constitute disturbance to birds; in contrast, they provide food and habitats for birds. However, a stable environment is not sustained at the area. Fish ponds are managed by emptying their water to expose the bottoms to the sun so they will dry up, and agricultural fields have harvest and fallow periods, so the environment is actively changing. Outside the levee, the land is predominantly used for oyster cultivation and coastal fisheries. Most oyster harvest and fishery activities occur during low tides, with most concentrated within 1 km of the shoreline, so the disturbance to birds is not great.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Additional biodiversity: IBA Al criterion species: Black-faced Spoonbill, Saunders’s Gull • Black-faced Spoonbill, maximum of 6 in May 1996. • The maximum number of Saunders’s Gull (SG) was 600: Year 1995 winter 1996 spring 1996 winter 1997 winter 1998 winter 1999 spring 2000 spring 2001 spring No. of SG 65 600 174 15 105 76 8 311 • A total of 189 species have been recorded here. • Rare and protected species include: Chinese Egret, 6 birds; Oriental Ibis, Osprey, Peregrine Falcon, Common Pheasant, Painted Snipe, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Eastern Collared Pratincole (on 16 October 1999, there was a flock of over 1,000 birds), Black-naped Tern, Little Tern, and Black-naped Oriole • Other protected species: Black-faced Buzzard Eagle, Grey Frog Hawk, Brown Shrike, and Black-billed Magpie.
Habitats
Land use: agriculture (40%) | not utilised (53%) | tourism/recreation (1%) | urban/industrial/transport (1%) | water management (5%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Intertidal | 50 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 50 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: • In the future, this area will possibly undergo development and construction: • Changhua international airport construction will destroy the Hanbao Wetlands. • Road development.
Additional information
References: • Fang, W. H. 1994. 1994 Investigation report on winter waterbird at the wetlands of Taiwan. WBFT, Wild Birds 4: 11-18. • Fang, W. H. 1995. 1995 Investigation report on winter waterbird at the wetlands of Taiwan. WBFT, Wild Birds 4: 1-10. • Fang, W. H. 1996. 1996 Investigation report on winter waterbird at the wetlands of Taiwan. WBFT, Wild Birds 5: 19-22. • Fang, W. H. 1997. 1997 Investigation report on winter waterbird at the wetlands of Taiwan. Feiyu 104: 21-22. • Fang, W. H. 1997. 1997 Investigation Report on Saunders’s Gull. Feiyu 105: 19-20. • Lee, T. R. 1996. Investigation report on birds of Hanbao Area in Changhua County. Conservation and Research Series, Wild Bird Society of Changhua Bird. Black-faced Buzzard Eagle 1. • Chen, D. C. 1998. Investigation report on birds of Hanbao Area in Changhua County. Conservation and Research Series, Wild Bird Society of Changhua Bird. Black-faced Buzzard Eagle 5. • Liao, Z. C. and R. K. Luo. 1997. Birdlist of Hanbao Area in Changhua County. WBFT, Wild Birds 6: 123-139. • Wild Bird Society of Changhua. 1999. Plan of nature classroom for Hanbao Wetlands, Changhua County. Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan. Compilers Tien-Ti Wu, Te-Chieh Chen