More rare birds winter in Yichang

By Zeng Lei, Yichang International Communication Studio

 

Almost 300 protected birds belonging to three different species were spotted in Yichang this past winter. The number is considerably higher than the previous winter, according to the city’s forestry and landscape authority.
 

The three rare birds - the Chinese merganser, the Ciconia nigra and the Aythya baeri – were all recorded during the 2022 winter bird survey conducted by Yichang Forestry and Landscape Bureau. 


 

Overall, the survey registered a total of 93 bird species and 14,500 birds, 15% up on the previous winter.
 

Yichang is located on the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River, near the Three Gorges Dam area and the ecologically sensitive area of the Yangtze River Basin, which has become the wintering habitat of many birds in recent years. 
 

Wu Yin, a technician at the Yichang Wildlife Protection Management Station, said that more and more birds are appearing in the Yichang area, a tribute to eco-protection efforts.
 

Photo by: Shu Renqing