Two nationally protected Dalmatian pelicans have spent more than four months wintering at Swan Spring Wetland in Yining County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the first confirmed stable overwintering record in the area. Listed on China's top-level protection list and the IUCN Red List, the species is highly sensitive to habitat conditions. Their extended stay signals marked improvement in the local wetland ecosystem. In recent years, Yining County has stepped up conservation efforts, enhancing water quality, reducing human disturbance and creating safer winter habitats for migratory birds.