WHOOPER SWANS' WINTER DAYS IN KOREA

[Anchor Lead]

Whooper swans from Siberia spend their winters in Korea every year and they have been spotted on the western coast of Korea in recent days. We take you there right now.

[Pkg]

Dozens of whooper swans swim in the water under the warm sun. They fly around peacefully and stretch their wings to shake off the water. This place is like a second home for them.

[Soundbite] KIM YOUNG-PIL(LOCAL RESIDENT) : "It's good to see them swim and play here. It's also exciting. They are welcome guests in our village."

Their nests have also been spotted in a reservoir near Cheonsuman Bay. They cry as if warning one another of danger, and take naps. Those who are still hungry even after eating lotus and reed roots have visited a nearby farm.

[Soundbite] HAN SUNG-WOO(SEOSAN BIRDLAND) : "Whooper swans in the Cheonsuman Bay tend to move to nearby farms and reservoirs in search of food. They prey on plant roots and move around according to environmental conditions."

Whooper swans, which move and live as families, visit Korea in October to spend winter. In early March, they fly some three thousand kilometers back to Siberia. The swans are preparing for yet another long journey back to their hometown.