KOTA KINABALU: The rare, solitary Eurasian Spoonbill was spotted at the Kota Kinabalu Wetland Centre Ramsar site on Tuesday (Nov 10), the first sighting of its kind here in over a decade.
This extremely rare vagrant waterbird spotted by sanctuary personnel was confirmed as the sole individual documented in the 24-hectare Ramsar reserve, said the Kota Kinabalu Wetland Ramsar Site (KKWRS) in a statement.
Ornithologists and conservationists describe this as an exceptional wildlife event, with the solitary Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) documented foraging in the intertidal mangroves of the KKWRS.
An employee first spotted the rare avian visitor last Wednesday during regular field monitoring, and wildlife photographer Nenita Tan photographed it on Tuesday, the KKWRS said.
Sanctuary officials confirmed that only a single individual has been observed across the reserve.
In Malaysia, the Eurasian Spoonbill, native to Europe, Africa and Asia, is classified as an extraordinarily rare vagrant and accidental non-breeding visitor.
The species is partially migratory, with the more northerly breeding populations mostly migrating south for the winter.
Confirmed historical sightings across the country remain exceedingly scarce, with appearances in Sabah being a once-in-a-decade event.
"Having this solitary globetrotting traveller select our 24-hectare urban wetland as a resting haven provides undeniable proof that KKWRS continues to offer healthy, thriving benthic resources.
“When we protect our mangroves, we safeguard an irreplaceable international lifeline for migratory species along the East Asian - Australasian Flyway,” said the Sabah Wetlands Conservation Society (SWCS) Leadership.
The lone bird was observed employing its signature feeding behaviour - sweeping its spatulate bill from side to side through shallow mudflats to extract small fish, crustaceans, and benthic invertebrates, while coexisting harmoniously with resident egrets.
Conservation officials noted that Kota Kinabalu Wetland remains Sabah’s only urban Ramsar site, serving both as an ecological sanctuary and an accessible nature education haven for the
public.
Visitors and birders are advised to remain on boardwalks and maintain ethical viewing distance to prevent disturbance to the birds and other wildlife in the area.
