The real-time monitoring of migratory birds that overwinter in Hunan Province for the 2024-2025 season has been accomplished, the Hunan Department of Forestry recently announced.

From last winter till this spring, a total of 465,200 waterbirds have been recorded overwintering in Hunan, marking a record high.

For the first time, the monitoring scope has been expanded from the Dongting Lake Area to 85 counties, county-level cities, and districts in all of the 13 cities and one prefecture provincewide. The monitoring results will provide a scientific basis to Hunan Province to protect birds and their habitats.

Over the past five years, Hunan has expanded the real-time monitoring scope from the east, west, and south Dongting Lake Natural Reserves and the Hengling Lake Natural Reserve, to the surrounding counties, county-level cities, districts, and protected areas, covering all wetland parks at various levels around the province.

According to the monitoring records, a total of 465,200 wintering migratory birds in 71 species have been recorded. Among which, 456,200 birds overwintered in the Dongting Lake Area, 75,000 more than that in the same period of last year. The four core protected areas were inhabited by 272,600 migratory birds, about 3,600 more than the previous year. Comparing with the same period of last year, 71,400 more migratory birds were recorded in the areas around the lake, bringing the total number to 183,600.

The Niao'er Isle in Dingcheng District, Maoli Lake in Jinshi City, Xifeng Lake in Hanshou County, Donghu Lake in Huarong County, Tianxing Isle in Nanxian County, Qionghu Lake in Yuanjiang City, and Laiyi Lake and Datong Lake in Heshan District were the wetland parks that have recorded a relatively large number of wintering waterbirds, according to a researcher of the observation station. These wetland parks are mainly located in the areas around the Dongting Lake.

The increasing number of migratory birds overwintering in Hunan demonstrates the continuous improvement and balanced development of Hunan's ecosystem.

Four major species of wintering migratory birds—bean goose, falcated duck, green-winged teal, and spot-billed duck—are in the majority in Hunan, with tundra swans following behind with a sharp increase.

Tundra swan is under second-class state protection. In 2019, a small number of tundra swans were recorded in Hunan for the first time. This year marks the fifth consecutive year that they overwinter here.

Apart from tundra swan, more protected birds have been monitored this time, including baer's pochards, scaly-sided mergansers, Siberian cranes, hooded crane, black storks, and oriental storks, all of which are under first-class state protection. Additionally, lesser white-fronted geese, swan geese, Eurasian spoonbills, greater white-fronted geese, common cranes, mandarin ducks, smews, and Asian pygmy geese, all of which are under second-class state protection were also recorded.

This article is from the Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.