Black-faced Spoonbill population passes 7,000
The global population of the Black-faced Spoonbill has exceeded 7,000 individuals for the first time, marking another major conservation milestone for one of East Asia’s rarest waterbirds. However, new figures suggest that the rapid growth seen over recent decades may now be levelling off.
The website Ornithomedia reported that during the international winter census carried out on 18–19 January 2025, a total of 7,081 Black-faced Spoonbills were counted across the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. Results released in April 2025 confirm that Taiwan remains the species’ most important wintering stronghold, hosting 4,169 birds, or nearly 59% of the global population.
Despite the headline figure, the increase from the previous year was modest – just 93 additional birds worldwide – raising the possibility that the population may be approaching a saturation point at some key wintering sites.
From the brink of extinction to cautious recovery
The Black-faced Spoonbill’s recovery represents one of the most striking conservation turnarounds in the region. In the late 1980s, following extensive loss of coastal wetlands and severe disruption to breeding sites during the Korean War, the global population had collapsed to an estimated 288 individuals.
Strict protection at breeding colonies in both Koreas, north-east China and Russia, combined with habitat conservation at wintering and stopover sites, has driven a steady increase since the 1990s. Winter counts recorded 535 birds in 1997, rising to 2,346 in 2010, nearly 4,000 by 2016, and 5,222 in 2021. The latest census confirms that this long-term upward trend continues, albeit more slowly.
Taiwan still central – but local shifts emerging
In Taiwan, more than 90% of Black-faced Spoonbills continue to winter along the south-west coast. Tainan City now supports the largest concentration and has seen a notable increase, while other traditionally important areas – including the Jhuoshui River estuary and Chiayi County – are experiencing marked declines.
These changes are thought to reflect shifting feeding conditions rather than overall population loss. At the same time, birds are appearing more regularly in previously marginal areas such as Changhua and the Penghu Islands, suggesting a gradual expansion of the wintering range within Taiwan.
China and Japan remain the other two most significant wintering countries for the species, reinforcing the importance of coordinated international monitoring and conservation along the flyway.
Growing pressures on wintering habitat
Despite the encouraging population size, concerns are mounting over habitat pressures, particularly in Taiwan. The species has recently been reclassified as Vulnerable at the national level, driven largely by the conversion of traditional fish farms into combined aquaculture-solar power developments.
Health issues also remain a serious concern. During the winter of 2024–25, several dozen rescue cases were reported, many linked to botulism outbreaks, highlighting the ongoing vulnerability of birds concentrated at a limited number of sites.
Conservationists stress that continued success will depend on close cooperation between governments, local communities, private landowners and civil society organisations. Protecting feeding habitats, maintaining safe breeding sites and responding rapidly to disease outbreaks are all seen as essential if the Black-faced Spoonbill’s recovery is to be secured for the long term.
January 2026
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