Dalmatian pelican birds spend their leisure time at the Xiaoyangkou mudflat wetland, Rudong. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

More than 20 dalmatian pelican birds, a national first-class protected animal, were recently spotted at the Xiaoyangkou mudflat wetland along the coast of Rudong county, Nantong, adding a touch of beautiful scenery to the winter mudflat.

The dalmatian pelican is a large migratory bird with a wingspan of over 3 meters. It has a global population of just 27,000 to 30,000, with the East Asian population sitting at less than 150.

The appearance of dalmatian pelicans in Rudong provides valuable data for researchers to study their migration routes and also reflects the effectiveness of local coastal ecological protection and management.

The Xiaoyangkou mudflat wetland has currently become a bird paradise, with more than 300 kinds of wild birds inhabiting here, and the total number of birds that come here to spend winter every year exceeds 20,000.