HKBWS BBS 香港觀鳥會新聞組


    
      
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        Discussion Area 討論區 >> Conservation 自然保育 >>  Collating information of birds using Qinghai Lake
        
(Message started by: HKBWS Project on Jul 6^th, 2005, 1:14pm)

Title: Collating information of birds using Qinghai Lake
Post by HKBWS Project on Jul 6^th, 2005, 1:14pm

Dear colleagues,

We are collating information on the status and istribution ranges of waterbirds that use Qinghai   (Kokonor,   Koko nor, Tsi Ngonpo, or Qinghaihu in Chinese) Lake, in northwest China's Qinghai Province.

This large inland lake is a Ramsar Site recognised for its internationally important sites for waterbirds, with several hundreds of thousands of waterbird recorded. The lake is very important for many species and populations of waterbirds that migrate between northern Asia, East, South east, South Asia and possibly Australasia. It is also of special importance as a breeding sites for various species of waterbirds, including Barheaded Goose Anser indicus, Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo, Great Blackheaded Gull Larus ichtyaetus and Brownheaded Gull Larus brunnicephalus. More information is available on  HYPERLINK "http://www.wetlands.org/RDB/Ramsar_Dir/China/CN005D02.htm" www.wetlands.org/RDB/Ramsar_Dir/China/CN005D02.htm

The lake is the location of the recent outbreak of deadly avian influenza strain H5N1, where the death of over 6,000 migratory waterbirds has been reported since early May, with mainly Barheaded Goose, Great Cormorant, Ruddy Shelduck, Great Blackheaded Gulls being reported dead. Attached for your reference is a report from Xinhua News Agency of July 2, 2005 which indicates that the outbreak may finally be under control.

We would appreciate receiving a copy of any bird lists for this important wetland; information on breeding status and population sizes would  be particularly relevant. Any information on observations of colour marked waterbirds at the site would be most useful. Thanking you in advance.

We propose to make our information available on the Wetlands International website.

Dr. Taej Mundkur
Wetlands International - South Asia