Migratory birds flock to Nansha Wetland

A campaign by Guangdong province to safeguard autumn and winter bird migration recently kicked off in Nansha Wetland Scenic Area.

Participants boarded boats and went deep into the wetland for bird watching after the ceremony. Yuyan from the Dongguan Bird Watching Society took a snapshot of a raptor, which was later confirmed by an expert from the Guangzhou Wildlife Protection Office as an Eastern Marsh Harrier (circus spilonotus).

The expert noted that the appearance of the Eastern Marsh Harrier in Nansha Wetland Scenic Area, where raptors are rarely seen, is a testament for the increasingly improved ecology there.

Nansha Wetland Scenic Area hasbecomes a haven for migratory birds. [Photo/gznsnews.com.cn]

As the largest wetland in Guangzhou, the scenic area is located on the migratory route of birds and is considered to be one of the top 10 spots for bird watching in Guangdong. Hundreds of millions of migratory birds have been passing through Guangdong starting in October.

To date, more than 200 species of birds have been observed in Nansha Wetland Scenic Area, including national second-class protected species and international first-class protected species.

Known as the "Giant Panda in Wetlands," the black-faced spoonbills, which are under national second-class protection, attract hordes of bird lovers and photographers to Nansha every year.

The highly threatened spoon-billed sandpiper has also once been found in Nansha Wetland Scenic Area. The estimated breeding population of the species was 350 to 500 in 2000.