Guantian Black-faced Spoonbill Ecological Education Park Introduction
The Guantian Watercock Breeding Area is located in Guantian District. Sponsored by Taiwan High Speed Rail, it was officially renamed Guantian Watercock Ecological Education Park after being managed by the Tainan City Government's Agricultural Bureau. The park is gradually advancing towards ecological education and tourism, featuring rich aquatic plants and a diverse range of waterbird ecology. The most important bird species here is the watercock, which coexists with water caltrop fields. Visitors can observe the fascinating ecology of the watercock through telescopes, attracting many birdwatchers. The watercock found in Taiwan is unique among the eight species worldwide, exhibiting different breeding (summer) and non-breeding (winter) plumages, along with regular migratory habits. Previously, it could be spotted in Yilan, Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Taichung, Changhua, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung, and Taitung. Due to land development and environmental destruction, it can currently only be found in the water caltrop fields within the plain area between the Bajhang River and the Zengwen River in Tainan. The Council of Agriculture announced in 1989 that the watercock is a second-level rare and precious conservation species.
