Liang Chieh-te Spends 12 Years Tracking Mountain Hawk-Eagle; Documentary Reveals Mysterious Raptor Ecology
The documentary "Fly! Mountain Hawk-Eagle," which explores the ecology of the endangered raptor, premiered today. Director Liang Chieh-te spent 12 years filming, highlighting the efforts of scholars and indigenous tribes in conservation.
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CNA News
(CNA Reporter Huang Hsu-sheng, New Taipei 15th) The highly secretive endangered raptor, the Mountain Hawk-Eagle, is the subject of the documentary "Fly! Mountain Hawk-Eagle," which premiered today. Director Liang Chieh-te spent 12 years venturing deep into mountains and indigenous tribes to document the eagles' courtship and breeding processes, showcasing the conservation efforts of scholars, birdwatchers, and tribal members.
The documentary "Fly! Mountain Hawk-Eagle" was completed by renowned bird documentary director Liang Chieh-te over 12 years of filming in deep forests and indigenous tribes. In a telephone interview with CNA, he stated that the film not only records the lifestyle of the Mountain Hawk-Eagle but also explores the balance between ecology and cultural preservation, witnessing the long-term efforts of scholars, birders, and indigenous people in protecting the eagle in the deep mountains.
He mentioned that because of the Mountain Hawk-Eagle's imposing physique and piercing gaze, along with the feathers on its head that often stand up into horn-like crests, it is incredibly captivating. He had planned to make a documentary about it 12 years ago. However, because the species is rare and hard to track, he later collaborated with raptor researcher Sun Yuan-hsun's team on field tracking and banding research to gradually capture the eagles' activity patterns. The film meticulously presents the eagle's journey from courtship, rearing, to fledging, hoping that these rare images will draw audience attention to the ecology of this endangered species and spark reflection on how to keep the Mountain Hawk-Eagle soaring in the sky.
Liang told reporters that the low and mid-elevation pristine forests the eagles rely on face developmental pressures, making eagle nests hard to find and the filming project even more difficult. The process, which sometimes involved traveling deep into aboriginal tribes along the Southern Cross-Island Highway and braving dangerous collapsing rock walls, was extremely arduous. He once spent 5 months tracking just to capture a momentary shot of the eagle soaring. Specifically, many scenes were shot in the Wulai Fushan area of New Taipei City, with traces also found in Dasyueshan and Yushan National Park. Some footage was completed with the support of friends, culminating in this magnificent ecological record.
The Mountain Hawk-Eagle is listed as an endangered wild animal in the "Red List of Taiwan" published by the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency. In Taiwan's Paiwan and Rukai indigenous cultures, the eagle symbolizes nobility and courage; it is a symbol of ancestral spirits and the king of the sky.
Liang said that based on varying estimates from scholars and bird societies, the current population of Mountain Hawk-Eagles in Taiwan is between 500 and 1,000. The film depicts the tug-of-war between the reverence for feathers in tribal culture and ecological conservation.
He noted that currently, there are about 6 to 7 Mountain Hawk-Eagles breeding in the Wulai Fushan area of New Taipei City. Through drone aerial photography and close-range monitoring, their rare behaviors were recorded. He couldn't have completed the documentary alone; sometimes, waiting with birding friends in the cold and isolation, the most satisfying reward after a shoot was a strong drink.
The documentary, revealing the rarely seen behaviors and ecology of the eagle, opens today. Following "Fly, Kite Fly" and "Aves: Black-faced Spoonbill," director Wu Nien-jen once again serves as the narrator, with the score composed by Golden Horse Best Original Film Score winner Lim Giong. (Editor: Chang Ming-kun) 1150515
(CNA Reporter Huang Hsu-sheng, New Taipei 15th) The highly secretive endangered raptor, the Mountain Hawk-Eagle, is the subject of the documentary "Fly! Mountain Hawk-Eagle," which premiered today. Director Liang Chieh-te spent 12 years venturing deep into mountains and indigenous tribes to document the eagles' courtship and breeding processes, showcasing the conservation efforts of scholars, birdwatchers, and tribal members.
The documentary "Fly! Mountain Hawk-Eagle" was completed by renowned bird documentary director Liang Chieh-te over 12 years of filming in deep forests and indigenous tribes. In a telephone interview with CNA, he stated that the film not only records the lifestyle of the Mountain Hawk-Eagle but also explores the balance between ecology and cultural preservation, witnessing the long-term efforts of scholars, birders, and indigenous people in protecting the eagle in the deep mountains.
He mentioned that because of the Mountain Hawk-Eagle's imposing physique and piercing gaze, along with the feathers on its head that often stand up into horn-like crests, it is incredibly captivating. He had planned to make a documentary about it 12 years ago. However, because the species is rare and hard to track, he later collaborated with raptor researcher Sun Yuan-hsun's team on field tracking and banding research to gradually capture the eagles' activity patterns. The film meticulously presents the eagle's journey from courtship, rearing, to fledging, hoping that these rare images will draw audience attention to the ecology of this endangered species and spark reflection on how to keep the Mountain Hawk-Eagle soaring in the sky.
Liang told reporters that the low and mid-elevation pristine forests the eagles rely on face developmental pressures, making eagle nests hard to find and the filming project even more difficult. The process, which sometimes involved traveling deep into aboriginal tribes along the Southern Cross-Island Highway and braving dangerous collapsing rock walls, was extremely arduous. He once spent 5 months tracking just to capture a momentary shot of the eagle soaring. Specifically, many scenes were shot in the Wulai Fushan area of New Taipei City, with traces also found in Dasyueshan and Yushan National Park. Some footage was completed with the support of friends, culminating in this magnificent ecological record.
The Mountain Hawk-Eagle is listed as an endangered wild animal in the "Red List of Taiwan" published by the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency. In Taiwan's Paiwan and Rukai indigenous cultures, the eagle symbolizes nobility and courage; it is a symbol of ancestral spirits and the king of the sky.
Liang said that based on varying estimates from scholars and bird societies, the current population of Mountain Hawk-Eagles in Taiwan is between 500 and 1,000. The film depicts the tug-of-war between the reverence for feathers in tribal culture and ecological conservation.
He noted that currently, there are about 6 to 7 Mountain Hawk-Eagles breeding in the Wulai Fushan area of New Taipei City. Through drone aerial photography and close-range monitoring, their rare behaviors were recorded. He couldn't have completed the documentary alone; sometimes, waiting with birding friends in the cold and isolation, the most satisfying reward after a shoot was a strong drink.
The documentary, revealing the rarely seen behaviors and ecology of the eagle, opens today. Following "Fly, Kite Fly" and "Aves: Black-faced Spoonbill," director Wu Nien-jen once again serves as the narrator, with the score composed by Golden Horse Best Original Film Score winner Lim Giong. (Editor: Chang Ming-kun) 1150515