A type of critically endangered tern has been spotted in southeast China's Fujian Province.

The Chinese crested terns were found on a sandbank in a wetland along the estuary of the Minjiang River, according to local bird watchers. The playful birds were seen hunting food there.

The terns were first discovered in China. A typical tern has a black beak and white feathers.

The wetland is a major concentration area for migratory birds, including rare species. It is home to 1,084 species of animals and plants, and more than 50,000 water birds make stop-overs here during their migration.

"The Chinese crested terns were first discovered in 1861, and had not been seen for more than a century," said local bird watcher Wang Naizhu. "They reappeared in the wetland in 2004."

Less than 100 such terns exist in the world, but locals once observed 16 in the wetland, said bird observer Ban Ma.

(Cover image: A Chinese crested tern in Qingdao City, east China's Shandong Province. /VCG)

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at nature@cgtn.com.)