Abstract
The eastern Taiwan Strait, a region situated along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway and currently undergoing rapid offshore wind energy development, remains poorly studied with respect to its seabird assemblages. Through intensive vessel-based transect surveys conducted between 2014 and 2021, this study documented 22,187 birds from 105 species across 10 orders and 29 families. Migratory non-seabirds accounted for 55.2% of individuals and dominated the species richness, highlighting the region's importance for migratory pathways. Seabird density was relatively low, however, consistent with trends in other tropical regions, and this pattern may also reflect both environmental degradation and methodological differences in density estimation. Seasonal variations in bird density and species richness exhibited bimodal peaks in spring and autumn, driven by migration, while winter abundances reached seasonal lows, likely due to adverse wind conditions. Spatial analyses revealed that distance from the coast was the primary factor structuring bird assemblages. The coastal zone was dominated by waterfowl and gulls, while offshore zones, both deep and shallow, were characterized by procellariiforms and sulids. These findings establish an essential baseline for evaluating the impacts of offshore wind farms, underscoring the need to incorporate migratory bird populations into environmental assessments.
DOI
http://doi.org/10.5038/2074-1235.53.2.1659
Creative Commons License
Recommended Citation
Bai, Mei-Ling; Huang, Chia-Hsiang; and Lien, Yu-Yi
(2025)
"Seasonal and Spatial Patterns of Avian Assemblages in the Eastern Taiwan Strait: Implications for Offshore Wind Farm Development,"
Marine Ornithology: Vol. 53
:
Iss.
2
, Article 29.
http://doi.org/10.5038/2074-1235.53.2.1659
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/marine_ornithology/vol53/iss2/29