National first-class protected birds spot in Nansha

The Chinese egret, a kind of waterfowl with white feathers and yellow beak, which is vulnerable enough to under first-class protection in China, recently appeared on the wetland of Nansha's Longxue Island, local media outlets reported on May 23.

The Chinese egret is very rare. There are only about 2,500 to 10,000 of these birds in existence worldwide, with 500 to 1,000 in China and less than 100 in South China's Guangdong province.

The birdwatchers happened to capture precious videos and photos of the five Chinese egrets hunting in the wetland, providing important information for experts studying and protecting them in the future.

This is also the first time in seven years that there are available records of the Chinese egret in Guangzhou.

In addition, the enthusiasts encountered black-faced spoonbills on the same day, which is a national first-class protected animal. The black-faced spoonbill is one of the important species belonging to wetland ecosystem, and is regarded as an indicator for environmental assessment.

The Chinese egret. [Photo/WeChat account: nanshafabu]

The black-faced spoonbill. [Photo/WeChat account: nanshafabu]