Q & A:Mr. Kai
Q1: How do you protect the birds that live in the Nature Area?
A: Basically, we protect their habitats. For example, when we mow the weeds in the Nature Area, we will save some space for birds. Also, during bearing seasons, we will keep away from small-leaved Mulberry and Autumn maple trees. Their fruit is birds’ favorite. In doing so we create a friendly environment for birds, and they are always willing to come.
Q2: What influence do birds in the Nature Area have on us? How should we protect them?
A: So far, there are two bird species that influence us the most.The first one is the collared scops owl. The other one is the Taiwan blue magpie, which has come to our school to build nests two years in a row. If they come to Kang Chiao, we protect them and we don’t disturb them. If we are too close to them, you know they will attack us. Also, they will feel nervous. If they feel nervous, they might abandon their nests here. This is how we teach children to respect lives. If these birds are willing to have babies here, that would be great, for this is technically their home in the first place.
On the other hand, remember collared scops owls? The teachers taught a lesson about these owls, and then together we made a nest box for them. We invited our middle grade students to paint the nest box, and then we had the higher grade students help put it on the tree.This process allows the Kang Chiao students learn more about collared scops owls in our school. In the meantime, we had an infrared camera set up in the nest box, which recorded their daily lives. When the live broadcast started, some students would watch it every day; some students would leave a message saying that they saw the mother owl feed her babies. Everyone is interested in joining the activity of bird restoration, and they actually have fun doing it!
Q3: Why do the protected (endangered) birds come to our school?
A: As long as we preserve our natural environment well and don’t harm these birds, naturally they come to our school. Once we saw about 4,000 grey-faced buzzards. It’s truly amazing!
Q4:What are your thoughts on bird restoration? Why did you do it and how?
A: Taking students to observe animals is always rewarding. When the collared owls were visiting us, I left a small message board below the nest box. Everyday I would check the messages. Students would write something to the collared owl family. It’s very sweet. Students are really cute ,and they are really paying attention to bird restoration. Qingshan Campus is located halfway on the mountain, which gives us the best teaching material to teach life education.We have made our school a very friendly environment for little wild animals. Wouldn’t it be great if we take the opportunity and teach our next generation how to care about lives, and respect them?
Q5: If once again, more protected (endangered) birds come to the Nature Area , what will the teachers do? Will there be any precausions? As students, what can we do?
A: If more protected birds come to the Nature Area, we will figure out what action to take depending on the situation . If the birds are here to breed, we will preserve an area for them, hoping that by doing this, they will be able to live without being bothered nor feeling stressed. Meanwhile, if we want the number of protected animals to increase, we should maintain our forest area in good condition. We don’t cut down all the trees, which is a vital necessity for birds. What you can do as students is, if any of you see any animals, do not hurt or bother them. Instead, you should carefully observe and respect them. A few years ago, some blue magpies came to our Nature Area to build their nests, a student was being naughty and threw little rocks at them. It turned out that blue magpies hadn’t come for three years. Don’t ever think that these birds are stupid. They are smart, and they remember. As students, the most important thing to do is to respect lives. Also, you can always join the teachers in the activities of protecting birds.
Q6: Do you know any bird conservation organizations?
A: Of course. There are organizations like Wild Bird Society of Taipei, Taiwan Wild Bird Federation, and Raptor Research Group of Taiwan, which play important roles in bird restoration. We know people from these organizations, and we often share valuable information. We share the knowledge with our students, and apply it further to the work of bird’s restoration in our school.
Q7: If two protected (endangered) birds had a fight and got hurt, what would you do?
A: This depends. Eagles in Taiwan are protected species. If an eagle attacked a scop owl, the scop owl would most likely become the eagle’s meal. We do not interfere in the ecological chain. However, if a bird got injured in a fight, and the predator wasn’t going to feed on it, we would rescue the wounded bird.
Q8: Does a crested serpent eagle’s diet and habits change throughout the seasons? Why do the crested serpent eagles build their nests near a sewage treatment plant, which is close to humans and doesn’t seem like a good environment to breed?
A: In general, especially in summer and spring, a crested serpent eagle likes to eat snakes. But in winter and fall, snakes aren’t easy to find, so it will eat toads, frogs, and sometimes mice. Luckily in Taiwan, snakes do not really sleep in winter, so as long as the weather is warm enough, it can still catch snakes.
The reason crest serpent eagles will choose the location near the sewage plant to breed is because people will not go there often. The location seems unwelcoming, but it’s relatively private for birds.
Q9: What are the exotic species in our school? How do they affect the ecosystem of birds?
A: There are two exotic bird species in our school, magpies and starlings. Magpies crowd out our regular guests, Taiwan blue magpies. One year, a magpie and a Taiwan blue magpie both built their nests on the same tree, and the Taiwan blue magpie got kicked out. The Taiwan blue magpie is much smaller than the magpie, and their diet is similar. The fittest survives, no textbooks can teach us better with this eternal truth.
As for starlings, they also attack smaller bird species like a Japanese white-eye. We once saw a starling drag a baby sparrow from its nest and eat it. Aside from the two exotic bird species I mentioned, there are also spot-legged tree frogs, an exotic species native to India, Indochina, South China and other regions. They also crowd out other frogs and insects in our Nature Area. Nevertheless, these spot-legged tree frogs happen to be the Taiwan blue magpies’ favorite food. Unexpectedly, these frogs have become part of the food chain in the Nature Area’s ecosystem.
Q10: Why are you interested in nature and ecology?
A: When I was in the second grade, one of my teachers loved to help birds. When I was working on school homework, he would be feeding birds or tending their wounds. Sometimes I would go birdwatching with that teacher, or even help the injured birds in a farm. From that time, I started to have great interests in nature.
Q11: Why did you want to become a Nature Study teacher?
A: I’ve always liked animals ever since I was a kid. I always want to share my passion with more people, hoping they will also love animals. That’s why I became a Nature Study teacher. I wish I can teach children everything I know, so they will know how to observe animals, respect animals, and love animals like I do.
Q12: Did your dream come true?
A: A lot of students come to us and share what they learned or found out about animals and plants. Some students even look forward to going to the Nature Area with us during recess. I feel so proud and rewarded. Do you think I fulfilled my dream? Of course I did?