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| ▲ This file photo shows swans and white-napped cranes foraging together. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This file photo shows swans foraging. (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This file photo shows white-napped cranes foraging. (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Feb. 17 (Yonhap) -- A flock of swans and white-napped cranes, which were spotted to be getting along well and foraging at a plain in Yangyang County in South Korea, having been catching the eyes of ornithologists.
Dozens of swans and three white-napped cranes were encountered to be foraging at a field near the Namdacheon Stream in Yangyang County, Gangwon Province on Thursday.
The number of swans foraging near the Stream has notably increased to about 30 since six of them were observed along the Stream for the very first time last year.
These swans began to visit Yangyang County in the winter of 2021 and have been wintering in the County for three consecutive years while foraging in rice paddies along the river, then moving up to the Namdaecheon Stream to take a rest and then to sleep.
The wintering period of these birds is estimated to be about one to two months, and they disappear for a while when the Stream freezes. Then, when the river is finally thawed, they come back.
Meanwhile, the number of white-napped cranes also slightly increased, as three of them visited this winter compared to only one which made a visit to the Stream last year.
These white-napped cranes showed off their close relationships by foraging together and also separately along with the swans.
In 2016, there have been two white-napped cranes spotted in Yangyang County; however, it marks the first time that three cranes have been observed for two consecutive years, following one last year.
Local residents said, “As there are rivers nearby and many that these birds can feed on at the vast plains, there are many swans and white-napped cranes flying over to this area one after another.”
(This article is translated from Korean to English by Ha eun Lee)
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