International Summit on the Grey-faced Buzzard 2021 Miyakojima will be held online (on October 16-17th 2021). Please join us!
The Grey-faced Buzzard is a medium-sized raptor.
The Grey-faced Buzzards are loved by people as migratory birds among South-east Asia and East Asia. However, the Grey-faced Buzzard is threatened with extinction in Japan.
It is necessary to encourage cooperation among several areas for conservation. International Summit on Grey-faced Buzzard has been held as a platform for discussion to the future of the Grey-faced Buzzard, gethoring people from wintering, stop-over and breeding sites of the Grey-faced Buzzard since 2019.
We look forward to your participation.
The 2nd Summit will be held online!
The 2nd summit will be held in Miyako Islands, Okinawa Prefecture where is a representative stop-over site. People of Miyako Islands have been cultural relationship with the Grey-faced Buzzard. And there is important site for surveying the population and migration.
Opening speech
Opening ceremony
Keynote lecture
Koichi Endo
(Board chairman of Wild Bird Society of Japan / The chief of goshawk protection fund)
Local reports
The Mayor Summit
Summit declaration
Opening speech
Opening ceremony
Reports on conservation activities by children
Musical "Sashiba no watari"
Closing speech
"Awamori” in memory of the first International summit on the Grey-faced Buzzard.
We produced Awamori, a traditional Japanese distilled spirits unique to Okinawa, from the rice grown in Ichikai-town where the first international summit took place last May.
This Awamori is called “Kanro-No Watari” named after the autumn migration of Sashiba in Miyako Islands.
(The word "Kanro" means the season between 8th to 21th of October. And “Watari" means migration.)
Unfortunately the Awamori is only available in Japan.
Ichikai town, located in the south-east of Tochigi Prefecture, is a breeding area of the Grey-faced Buzzard. In early spring, Grey-faced Buzzards arrive to hunt small animals in paddy fields and copses in SATOYAMA. Ichikai town is involved in activities such as the management of the ‘Roadside Station Sashiba no Sato’ in order to raise awareness of the charms of SATOYAMA through the Grey-faced Buzzard. In addition, the ‘Sashiba no Sato Nature School’ hosts a number of environmental education programs in SATOYAMA.
ArchivesThe Miyako Islands, located about halfway between the Philippines and Kyushu, are an important stopover point for autumn migration of the Grey-faced Buzzard. Each October, the Grey-faced Buzzard arrives in Miyako Islands in large flocks. This spectacle is known as the “Kanro-no Watari” and has deep roots in the local culture.
Once Grey-faced Buzzards migrating after a hot summer were hunted as an important source of protein. However, since 1972 hunting has been banned, and instead conservation and monitoring surveys have been set up. The large flocks on the Irabu-Island, one of the Miyako Islands, is a must-see.
Northern Luzon, located in the north of the Philippines, is a lush green area with a rural mountainous landscape. There has been traditional hunting targeted the Grey-faced Buzzard, which gather in preparation for their spring migration.
But now, Local government conducts the protection campaign "Sagip SAWI" every spring. The Grey-faced Buzzard became the symbol of the local rich nature and biodiversity.
Taiwan is a wintering ground and very important stopover point for the Grey-faced Buzzard during its migration. This area is making a strong effort towards the Grey-faced Buzzard conservation, and local conservation activities and research studies are also being actively conducted.
The ‘Free Buzzard Festival’, held every March, began 25 years ago as an attempt to promote anti poaching of the Grey-faced Buzzard. It has since grown into a large annual event with about 5,000 people taking part over two days.
Please follow the Summit's
official Facebook page!
It has all the latest information on the Summit and the Grey-faced Buzzard.
International Summit on Grey-faced Buzzard is managed by executive committee organized with governance, NGOs and Researchers
Miyakojima city
Executive Committee of International Summit on Grey-faced Buzzard in Miyakojima
The Nature Conservation Society of Japan
SUNTORY FUND FOR BIRD CONSERVATION
Irabujima elementary school in Miyakojima city
Suntory Holdings Ltd.
Miyakojima City Hall
Email:kankyo.shizen@city.miyakojima.lg.jp