'Panda of birds' spotted in central China reserve for first time in 9 years

Three rare reed parrotbills were spotted on Monday in the Yellow River Wetland National Nature Reserve in Luoyang City, central China's Henan Province, marking the first sighting of the species in the reserve in nine years, China Media Group reported.

The discovery was made by researchers conducting routine monitoring in the reserve. The birds were seen moving nimbly through the reeds, foraging and resting. With their lively posture and clear calls, the small birds appeared highly active in the wetland habitat.

The reed parrotbill, often called the "panda of birds," is a rare bird species endemic to China and belongs to the family Paradoxornithidae. It is listed as a national second-class protected species in China and is categorized as Near Threatened (NT) on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

This species has strict habitat requirements and depends heavily on healthy, intact reed wetlands for survival. Reed parrotbills mainly feed on insects, making them an important indicator species for assessing the ecological quality of wetland environments.