More than 1.15 million water birds of 109 species have been recorded in the Yangtze River Delta region with over 430000 of 82 species in Jiangsu, according to the recently-released results of the first synchronized survey of overwintering waterfowl in the Yangtze River Delta.
“Through more than 10000 accumulated data, it was found that there are a total of 30 species of birds listed at level II protection or above in Xuzhou. For example, the blue headed diving duck is an important protected species in the country, and its appearance in Xuzhou was observed in recent years and its main habitat is in Dashahe National Wetland Park in Fengxian County, with a flock of 38”, Yang Jing, Deputy Chief of the Ecological Monitoring Department of Xuzhou Environmental Monitoring Center, said.
The first synchronized survey report on overwintering waterbirds in the Yangtze River Delta region shows that the most common group of overwintering waterbirds in the region is the wild goose and duck, accounting for 69% of the total number of waterbirds counted.
The top 10 species of waterbirds, including the bean goose, green headed duck, black bellied sandpiper, flower faced duck, and backbilled sandpiper, account for approximately 73% of the total population. In recent years, as a national first-class protected animal, the Oriental White Stork has made frequent appearances on the land of Jiangsu. In August, way beyond the migration season, most of the Oriental White Stork are found at the Yellow Sea Wetland in Dafeng District, Yancheng city.
“With climate change and changes in bird migration habits, Dafeng is traditionally a wintering ground for the Oriental White Stork. However, with climate change, a portion of its population has begun to breed here every year, making it its breeding ground”, Liu Bin, Director of the Management Office of Dafeng Milu Deer National Nature Reserve, said.
Four of the nine major migration routes for migratory birds worldwide pass through China. The Yellow Sea Wetland, an important supply station for the "East Asia Australia Migration Route", has been frequently haunted by spoonbilled snipes and some other rare birds.
This survey recorded 29 species of birds under national protection, including 13 species under first level protection, 16 species under second level protection, and 16 globally threatened species.
With the continuous improvement of the ecological environment, more and more rare birds are making their debut in the Yangtze River Delta region. Early this year, the red-crowned crane was discovered for the first time to overwinter in Lishui, Nanjing, which is to the south of the Yangtze River.
Rare birds such as the yellow breasted bunting and the grey headed sparrow have made their first appearance in Wuxi. Due to the implementation of measures such as returning polders to the lake, ecological dredging, and proliferation and release, the Changdang Lake has achieved changes from a production lake to an ecological lake, and finally to a lake where humans coexist with nature.
“These rare birds have indeed surprised us quite a bit. These birds can make stopovers in Changzhou, indicating that the ecological environment in Changzhou is suitable for them to stay and forage. Changzhou has created some wetlands and foraging environments, such as some benthic organisms, which can supplement the physical strength of rare birds”, Yin Yong, Chief of Changzhou Nature Observation Mission, said.
