“３羽のヒナ”子育ての結果は…？絶滅危惧種・コウノトリの巣立ちに密着【佐賀県】 (25/09/03 18:18)

Oriental white storks are an endangered species that breed only in Shiroishi Town in Kyushu. Three chicks were born in June this year. We followed the storks as they raised their young for about three months to find out if they were able to leave the nest safely. They have long, thick black beaks, sharp eyes, and large bodies with a wingspan of up to two meters. They are said to bring happiness. Designated a Special Natural Monument by the national government, storks have only been breeding in Shiroishi Town in Kyushu for the past three years. [Report by Ayaka Yoshitomi] "A stork laid eggs in Shiroishi Town. The parents are now carefully watching over them in their wooden nest." A stork laid four eggs in late May this year. This is actually the second time they've laid eggs this year. Three chicks were born in April, but they all died due to a lack of food. This means the stork will have to try raising them again. About two months later... [Iwabe Mai] "The chicks have just popped their heads out of the nest. You can see three chicks at the parent bird's feet." These tiny chicks are only about three weeks old. At this stage, their biggest enemy is crows. The first three chicks born four years ago were all eaten by crows. So members of the Wild Bird Society of Japan and the Shiroishi Stork Society stepped up to protect the chicks from crows. About 10 people took turns gazing through binoculars from dawn until dusk. [Miyahara Akiyuki, Wild Bird Society of Japan] "It was exactly four years ago, I think. They suddenly came here to try to breed, and we've been protecting them ever since." Q. What do you do if you find a crow? "I have no choice, so I run to the nest and yell. That usually gets them to run away." Until last year, the parent birds were often away from the nest to hunt for frogs, snakes, and other prey, which made them skinny. This year, things are a little different. [Yoshitomi Ayaka] "The female parent bird has just returned to the nest. She's looking at the male who was in the nest. They're making beak-clapping noises and seem to be having some kind of conversation." [Miyahara Akiyuki, Saga Branch, Wild Bird Society of Japan] "Both parents have been there the whole time. One or the other is always there. That means this year, they're getting an ample supply of food. Up until now, the parents were noticeably skinny, but this year they're not as skinny. I wonder if they were getting enough food when they were raising their chicks this time." The chicks thrived, and on August 4th, more than 40 days after birth, it was finally time for their leg banding. The leg bands are used to track behavior and living conditions, and each has an individual number written on it to identify the chick's place of birth and other details. Why did the chicks start raising their young in Shiroishi Town? The deputy director of Hyogo Prefecture's Hometown of Oriental White Storks Park, which works to protect storks, explains: [Tsubakino Ryoji, Deputy Director of Hometown of Oriental White Storks Park] "It's surprising how few places in Japan have all the conditions you'd expect—river, rice paddies, and a nearby coast where storks can find food. I think this was the most comfortable place in Kyushu for storks, with no shortage of food. The chicks grew up in such a blessed environment. Even so, one stork lost its strength due to heavy rain and infection and died. The two surviving chicks finally left the nest in late August." [Miyahara Akiyuki, Saga Branch, Wild Bird Society of Japan] "It's not easy for them to leave the nest, and as someone watching over them, it's really a relief, especially in this heat." In just two months, the two storks have grown to the same size as their parents. People in town... [Parent and child] "Oh, so cute. I hope it brings happiness to Saga." [Woman] "It flies so fast, it gives me energy." [Man] "It's nice, isn't it? After all, Shiroishi is the only place in Kyushu where it can be found, for now. We can only pray for it to live and stay healthy." [Man] "It'll be great to see it grow up, because it means there's still a lot of nature left." In the future, it will learn how to find food and acquire the skills to survive on its own. [Miyahara Akiyuki, Saga Branch, Wild Bird Society of Japan] "Storks are essentially birds at the top of the food chain, so an environment in which they can survive is one that is rich and healthy and has a wide range of habitats. I hope that more pairs will come and that we can restore an environment where storks can be seen everywhere in Saga Prefecture." Shiraishi Town plans to hold a public naming contest for the two storks that have left the nest.