Truong Xuan Dua, head of the Agricultural Technical Application Research Station under the Gia Lai Agricultural Extension Centre, said around 150 birds had been recorded at the site in Tuy Phuoc Dong Commune.
According to Dua, the birds were identified based on distinctive features including their legs, beaks, necks and posture. Most of the flock leaves the area during the day to forage before returning to the mangrove ecosystem at dusk.
Local authorities have stepped up public awareness campaigns, urging residents not to hunt, trap or disturb the birds and calling on communities to help protect the rare species.
Tran Duc Duy, a resident who has monitored the flock for years, said nearly 300 birds had been seen in the area last year before their numbers dropped sharply following Typhoon Kalmaegi in late 2025.
“Previously, the birds tended to live separately, but now they coexist with egrets and cormorants,” Duy said.
Con Chim covers about 480 hectares in the Thi Nai Lagoon area and is home to a mangrove ecosystem that supports both native and migratory bird species. The site has become a growing community-based eco-tourism destination in recent years.