A rare tweet: Endangered black wood pigeon observed in Ulsan
The rare black wood pigeon, resembling a crow at first glance, has been observed along the coast of Ulsan. The bird is designated a natural monument in Korea and is classified as an endangered species.
According to Ulsan city officials on Wednesday, the bird ? with the scientific name Columba janthina ? was first spotted on April 10 in a grove of black pine trees along the coast in Dong District by Lee Seung-hyun, a freshman at Ulsan Jeil High School. Two days later, Hong Seung-min, head of a bird-watching club named “Tweet-eria,” succeeded in capturing the bird on camera.
Though individual black wood pigeons were rescued in 2012 and 2014 along multiple Ulsan coastlines, this marks the first time the bird has been officially photographed in the city, according to the Ulsan Wildlife Rescue Center.
The black wood pigeon is listed as a “Near Threatened” species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List. It is the largest pigeon native to the Korean Peninsula. While its body appears entirely black, sunlight reveals a glossy sheen of purple and green across its feathers, giving it an elegant appearance that has earned it the nickname “the chic pigeon.” The species also has a unique reproductive habit, laying only one white egg per breeding cycle.
Ulsan city officials believe the pigeon may have been stopping briefly along the coast during its migration from Korea to Japan for the breeding season.
In February, another rare bird ? the white-bellied green pigeon ? drew attention when it was sighted in the ring-cupped oak forest of Ulsan Grand Park. That bird, with its green head and back and white underbelly, typically inhabits temperate forests in Japan and Taiwan and is seen in Korea in areas like Jeju Island or Taean in South Chungcheong on rare occasions. Males of the species have red-tinged wings and feed primarily on fruits and young leaves in trees. In summer, they are known to drink seawater to obtain salt.
The recent sightings of uncommon birds in Ulsan are being interpreted as signs of the region’s improving ecological health. Ulsan was once home to the heavily polluted Taehwa River, which had been contaminated by industrial wastewater and was once called by the nickname “the river of death.” In 2004, the city declared its vision to become an “eco-city” and has since restored the river, resulting in clearer waters and a rebounding ecosystem. It has also steadily reduced the smokestack emissions.
“We will continue our efforts to observe and preserve the environment so that Ulsan can become a recognized ecological destination for rare bird species,” a city official said.