• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

Site description (2001 baseline)
Extent of this site: north to the Jiangjun River; south to Yancheng and adjacent to Chiku Wetland. To the west is the Taiwan Strait with the Mashakou and the Chingshan Harbor acting as a buffer; the eastern border is Provincial Highway 17. This area is the remnant of the Taichiang Inner Sea, which is about 28 km away from Tainan City. The site is accessed from Provincial Highway 17. This area is adjacent to the coastline. Oyster cultivation is the primary economic activity of this area. Because the dry and wet seasons here are distinct, in winter there is sufficient sunlight and suitable for evaporating salt, so in the southern part of this area are vast salt fields. This is the largest salt evaporation area on Taiwan’s southeast coast, occupying more than 1,800 ha. In 1954, the Taiwan Salt Company established these salt fields which become important sites for the production of industrial salt. The salt fields and salt mounds create a unique ecological landscape.

Key biodiversity
IBA A4i criterion species: Black-winged Stilt • This is an important site for Black-winged Stilt breeding. Throughout the year flocks of this species can be seen, with a maximum of 338 birds. • At this site, 51 species of birds have been recorded. The Great Egret is a winter visitor, with a maximum of 251 birds (25 March 1998). Long-toed Stint is another winter visitor, with a maximum of 1,016 birds (14 October 1998).

Non-bird biodiversity: • The Black Mangrove Avicennia marina grows tall and dense here in the coastal saline marshy environment, such as fishponds, river canals, and estuaries. The plant can grow as tall as about 5-6 m.

---

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Chingkunshen (Taiwan, China). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/chingkunshen-iba-taiwan-china on 23/11/2024.