Migratory birds flock to Chinese wetlands for wintering

Flocks of migratory birds have arrived at wetland reserves in China for wintering.

The Ruoergai Wetland National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Sichuan Province has welcomed a great variety of birds, including endangered black-necked cranes, bar-headed geese and the ruddy shelducks.

"We recently conducted a three-day monitoring on the black-necked cranes and a survey on migratory waterfowls. We mainly focused on 90 monitoring points on four line transects in the key areas of the activity of black-necked cranes in the reserve. A total of 15 species of migratory water birds, including cranes, have been observed. In addition, the number of migratory water birds in the reserve is increasing," said Namoju, a scientific research officer with the Ruoergai Wetland National Nature Reserve Administration.

Tens of thousands of migratory birds have been spotted foraging and frolicking in the Hanfenghu National Wetland Park in Kaizhou District, Chongqing Municipality of southwest China. The park is an important stopover and wintering place for migratory birds such as tufted ducks, pochards and white-eyed pochards. More than 20 species of Anatidae birds will migrate there for overwintering.

Meanwhile, flocks of rare migratory birds have gathered at the Poyang Lake Nanji Wetland National Nature Reserve in east China's Jiangxi Province to spend the winter season. Some 1,000 oriental white storks have been observed there.

"Current monitoring shows that the species and numbers of migratory birds (arriving at Poyang Lake) have increased compared with last year. Among them, there are about 1,000 oriental white storks, a bird under first-class national protection, and they mainly distribute in Dacha Lake and several sub-lakes around Changyi Township," said Qu Wenjing, a ranger with the Dacha Lake Protection and Management Station at the Poyang Lake National Nature Reserve.

(Cover image a screenshot)