Bird Life Tieng Anh-01.qxd - Birdlife International in Indochina

•
Raise awareness among all stakeholders of the biodiversity and socio-economic values of
the site, and generate a sense of responsibility for its conservation.
• Introduce measures to ensure that aquacultural ponds are developed and managed sustainably,
to prevent further mangrove die-off.
• Establish a monitoring programme for key bird species, involving local people.
• Consider options for designating the site as a protected area, either at the national or provincial
level in the medium-term.
• A long-term goal is that Thai Thuy should be designated a Ramsar site.
Changes since 1996. Thai Thuy continues to be the most important site for the globally threatened
Saunders’s Gull Larus saundersi in Vietnam, with significant numbers of birds recorded annually,
and an apparent increase over the last decade. The site has also maintained its importance for terns
(in particular Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica) and egrets, especially Great Egret Casmerodius
albus. Four globally threatened species have been recorded for the first time since 1996: Spoon-billed
Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus, Baer’s Pochard Aythya baeri, Ferruginous Pochard A. nyroca
and Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca, and the first of these is especially significant. On the downside,
the small but regular numbers of Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus and Black-faced
Spoonbill Platalea minor that used to occur have both apparently dwindled to zero since 1996.
4.4 Tien Hai
Relative importance of site: Ranked 3 (19 points)
Province(s): Thai Binh
Protected Area status: Nature Reserve
Latitude: 20º18’N
Longitude: 106º36’E
Area: 12,500 ha
Altitude Range: 0–2 m asl
Important Bird Area (IBA): VN013
General Description. Tien Hai has 23 km of coastline with sandy beaches, stretching from the
main Red River channel (Ba Lat River) in the south to the Tra Ly rivermouth in the north. It is
dominated by aquacultural ponds, a large area of intertidal mudflats and two large, sandy islands,
Con Thu and Con Vanh, both extensively afforested with the exotic Casuarina equisetifolia. The
landward shore of the larger island, Con Vanh, has a large area of mangrove, mostly enclosed within
aquacultural ponds. Tien Hai Nature Reserve lies in the southern part of the district, although earlier
inappropriate development has led to some degradation of its natural habitats. It forms part of a
contiguous ecological unit with Xuan Thuy National Park (VN017) (Nguyen Duc Tu and Le Trong
Trai 2005, Tordoff (ed.) 2002).
Status. Tien Hai became an officially designated nature reserve in September 1994, with a
management board comprising eight staff directed by the Chairman of Tien Hai District People’s
Committee. An investment plan, approved by the former Ministry of Forestry, was prepared by
FIPI in 1995 that defined a 12,500 ha nature reserve. In 1995, the Ministry of Environment, Science
and Technology expanded the Ramsar site of Xuan Thuy to include Vanh and Thu islands within
Tien Hai Nature Reserve.
Vegetation. The main flora components are Sonneratia caseolaris, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza,
Aegiceras corniculatum and Kandelia candel. Mangrove areas are of particular interest: along canals
13