A variety of rare birds like ruddy shelducks, brown-headed gulls and bar-headed geese were seen frolicking on the Luojiaqiongguo Lake in Zoige County of Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Sichuan Province, on Friday.

The lake is free of ice all year round because of the steady stream of hot springs underground, providing a good ecological environment for migratory birds. At the end of October to the following March every year, whooper swans, which are under second-class state protection in China, fly here for the winter. In the middle of April, black-necked cranes, under first-class state protection in the country, fly here to mate. 

(All images via VCG)

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