Sado crested ibis spotted over 300 km from release site for 1st time

Japan's Environment Ministry has confirmed a rare crested ibis sighting over 300 kilometers away from Sado Island, where the species was reintroduced to the wild almost two decades ago. The bird was spotted in Takashima, Shiga Prefecture, multiple times in July and August, marking the first known instance of such a distant observation since the release program began in 2008.

A Takashima resident first reported an ibis foraging in a rice paddy on June 18, followed by sightings in August. In Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture, central Japan, a bird believed to be the same species was observed flying overhead in May. The ministry maintains the sightings were the same individual based on location and timing. Public disclosure of the sightings was avoided to prevent disruption to local communities, but reports on social media led to increased observation, potentially causing the bird to move.

Native crested ibises became extinct in Japan in 2003, with the first release occurring in 2008 using a pair donated from China.