A magnificent view of the Eurasian curlew, whose most distinctive feature is its long and downward-curved beak [Photo by Liao Defu]

A Eurasian curlew bird has been spotted in Qingchuan county, Guangyuan, Southwest China's Sichuan province, across several consecutive days from Nov 29 to Dec 1.

A local resident surnamed Liao captured a series of photos. This is the third year in a row that such birds have been seen wintering in this section of the river.

The Eurasian curlew is a second-level nationally protected animal species. It is named after its long and downward-curved beak, which closely resembles that of the ibis.

They prefer to live near clear streams with many rocks and feed on small fish, shrimp, and mollusks. The appearance of the Eurasian curlew is similar to that of the gravel in the water. When motionless, they blend in like ordinary stones, in order to avoid being detected by predators.

These birds have strict requirements for the water quality and environment of their habitat. Through the effective protection of the aquatic ecological environment, more and more birds choose to nest and spend the winter in Qingchuan county.