Over 64,000 migratory birds winter in north China nature reserve

SHIJIAZHUANG, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- More than 64,000 migratory birds have recently been spotted in a nature reserve in north China's Hebei Province, authorities said.

During the 2022-2023 migratory bird monitoring operations conducted from Jan. 7 to 11, the staff spotted 60 species of migratory birds, according to Zhang Yuguang with the resource protection bureau of Hengshui Lake National Nature Reserve.

These birds included six species under first-class national protection, such as the Baer's pochards and oriental white storks, an increase of two species compared with that of the 2021-2022 period, said Zhang.

"The Baer's pochards and oriental white storks are 'long-term residents' of Hengshui Lake," Zhang added. "We also monitored 16 bird species under second-class national protection, an increase of three compared with the 2021-2022 period."

A survey of wintering Baer's pochards and cranes in the 2022-2023 period was also completed, with 42 Baer's pochards and 3,860 grey cranes monitored.

Hengshui Lake is the only national nature reserve on the north China plain that maintains a complete wetland ecosystem of swamps, water, mud flats, meadows, and woodlands.