The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FANCA) announced the results of the 2025 nationwide synchronized survey of black kites (Milvus migrans), showing that the black kite population has reached 1,033 individuals, a record high in the survey’s history. In the Shen’ao and Ruibin areas of Keelung, stable roosting sites have once again been recorded after 30 years. This indicates that not only is the black kite population recovering, but their distribution has also gradually expanded from the original core area to the surrounding regions. This accomplishment reflects the significant results achieved in recent years through the joint efforts of the government and the private sector to promote eco-friendly farming and environmentally-friendly measures. The FANCA stated that raptors serve as important indicators of environmental health and biodiversity. Since 2013, the FANCA has been collaborating with the Bird Ecology Lab, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST Bird Ecology Lab), to promote long-term population monitoring, satellite tracking, roosting surveys, and educational outreach for black kites, thereby deepening public awareness of black kite ecology. In collaboration with the Raptor Research Group of Taiwan, volunteers are mobilized every autumn and winter to conduct synchronized surveys across Taiwan, forming the largest and most representative citizen science monitoring network for raptors nationwide. In previous years, the distribution of black kites showed that their roosting sites in northern Taiwan were concentrated in the Wanli, Gongliao, and Feitsui Reservoir areas of New Taipei City, while in southern Taiwan they were centered around Sandimen and Mt. Dahan in Pingtung. According to the latest survey results in 2025, two new stable roosting populations, the “Shen’ao Group” and the “Ruibin Group” have appeared in the Keelung area, marking the first time in three decades that stable roosting populations have been recorded in this area. In addition, sightings by the public have increased significantly in coastal and riverside areas in northern Taiwan, mountainous areas in Pingtung, and Sun Moon Lake and Hushan Reservoir in central Taiwan. This indicates that the black kite population has expanded from mountainous areas to plains and agricultural landscapes, gradually returning to their historical habitats. The FANCA said that the population of black kites is closely related to habitat integrity and healthy food sources. In the past, black kites faced a survival crisis due to habitat destruction and the impact of pesticide and poisonous bait use. In 1992, a survey showed that the black kite population was less than 200 individuals. In recent years, the FANCA has actively promoted Payments for Ecosystem Services and eco-friendly farming, as well as restricted the use of high-concentration pesticides and rodenticides. These measures have helped provide black kites with healthy habitats and safe food sources. According to this year’s survey results, the black kite population has stopped declining and has grown to 1,033 individuals, and its distribution range is gradually expanding. This shows that these measures have indeed been effective in protecting farmland habitats and promoting habitat linking. The FANCA emphasized that the black kite serves as a top consumer and indicator species within ecosystems. Moreover, maintaining a complete habitat is equivalent to safeguarding the environmental foundation for human survival and sustainable development. The FANCA will continue to use policies such as the Taiwan Ecological Network (TEN) and Payments for Ecosystem Services to ensure sustainable development while protecting the environment, turning the sighting of black kites soaring freely in the sky into a common daily occurrence.
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