A flock of rare gray herons were recently spotted perching on an ancient arborvitae tree in Chongqing City.

The tree in Chongqing's Wangling Village is over 30 meters tall. It would take at least three adults to reach around its trunk. 

According to local villagers, the arborvitae tree where herons perch is over 100 years old. And over that time, gray herons and the tree have witnessed the development of the village together. In early summer, more herons will come and settle down.

The gray heron, which is under second-class state protection in China, has been listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species since 2012.

(Cover image is a screen shot.)

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