NIIGATA – An injured crested ibis found on Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture was apparently injured by a bird of prey — the second case of its kind in a week, the Environment Ministry said.
The ibis, released into the wild by the ministry in September 2009, is being treated at the Sado Japanese Crested Ibis Conservation Center but is not in critical condition, officials said Saturday.
The 4-year-old male was found hurt in a lotus field about 200 meters from its roosting site early Saturday. A bird thought to be a falcon was observed flying over the roost site shortly beforehand and may have tried to attack the ibis, the ministry said.
Another crested ibis was found injured after a separate attack near the same place last Monday. It is also receiving treatment.