Do you remember the two raptors that were released back into the wild in early March this year, each equipped with a satellite transmitter? Tracking data has confirmed that both birds successfully completed their northward migration and reached areas near their breeding grounds, adding valuable records to raptor conservation and migration research in Kinmen.

Kinmen National Park Headquarters (the Headquarters), under the National Park Service, Ministry of the Interior, said that, in the past, post-release monitoring of rescued wildlife relied mainly on passive reports of leg-band sightings, which yielded an extremely low reporting rate. This year, the Headquarters launched its first satellite-tracking program, extending post-rescue medical care and rehabilitation into long-term field monitoring of wildlife. Tracking data showed that both raptors remained in Kinmen for more than a month after their release, gradually regaining their strength and adapting to life in the wild. They subsequently began their northward migration in late March and early April, respectively.

The Eastern Buzzard (Buteo japonicus) departed Kinmen late on the night of March 29, leaving from the coastal cliffs of Beishan and heading north across the sea. It then followed an inland route northward through Fujian, Jiangxi, Anhui, Henan, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, and Jilin. Throughout the journey, its migration remained steady, with several brief stops in suitable forest habitats to rest before continuing north. The bird ultimately reached Heilongjiang on April 18, covering approximately 3,400 kilometers in 21 days.

The Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) displayed a faster and more direct migration pattern. Several days after the Eastern Buzzard departed, the owl remained in Kinmen until the evening of April 4, when it began its own northward migration. After departing from Jimingshan in Jincheng Township, Kinmen, it flew directly to Quanzhou, Fujian, and then continued through Zhejiang and Beijing before crossing Bohai Bay to reach Huludao, Liaoning. After remaining there for several days, it continued northward and eventually reached the border region where Mongolia, China, and Russia meet on April 19, near its breeding grounds. The entire journey covered approximately 3,600 kilometers in 15 days.

The Headquarters noted that the tracking project not only confirmed that the rehabilitated raptors could return to the wild and undertaking long-distance migration, but also generated valuable baseline data on raptor wintering patterns, habitat use, and migration routes in Kinmen. As the two raptors have gradually moved into areas with weaker satellite coverage, tracking of their northward journeys has temporarily come to an end. The Headquarters hopes to receive signals from them again during their autumn and winter southward migration, particularly if they return to Kinmen to overwinter, allowing researchers to continue tracking and documenting their remarkable journeys.