Birding info of Guizhou, China
Lying on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau in southwestern China, Guizhou Province covers 176,200 square kilometers and is known for its karst landforms, mountains, colorful ethnic minority culture, abundant rainfall, and rich flora and fauna resources. The capital city of Guizhou is Guiyang, which has a history of about 700 years. Demographically, Guizhou is one of the most ethnically diverse provinces in China with 15 ethnic minority groups, accounting for over 37% of its total 36 million population.
In terms of topography, Guizhou is famous for its mountains and hilly areas, which account for over 90% of the province's total territory. The abundant rainfall has contributed to rich water resources in this province with more than 984 rivers of different sizes. The humid climate and different landforms have granted this province with rich natural resources, including a wide range of vegetation ranging from aquatic, broadleaf, mixed, conifer, to montane shrublands and grasslands. They serve as ideal habitats for about 482 bird species recorded in the province including Black-necked Crane and a large number of some rare and precious animals including Gray Snub-nosed Monkey and Francois’s Leaf Monkey. According to zoogeographical division, Guizhou belongs to oriental realm, the bird species in Guizhou account for two-thirds of the total bird species in Oriental realm. Golden Pheasant is the ‘State Bird’ of this province.
Some Important Birding Sites in Guizhou
Caohai Nature Reserve
Caohai Lake, the largest fresh water lake in Guizhou, is located in the west of Weining County, with an area of 12,000 hectares. It is named 'Grass Lake' (or Sea of Grass) because of the vast water surface of the lake and lush grass at the bottom of the lake. The lake is a marvelous habitat for over 200 bird species. Caohai Nature Reserve was established in 1985 to protect Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis as over 400 over-winter from November thru March, and the ecosystem of plateau wetlands and was upgraded to national-level reserve in 1992. The hedgerows around villages at the edge of of Caohai are a place for Black-headed Greenfinch, Daurian Redstart, Brown-breasted Bulbul, Chinese Babax, and White-browed Laughingthrush. In an area with few mature trees, Grey-headed Woodpeckers will search for grubs under the eaves of traditional houses. There are also good numbers of Bar-headed Goose, Ruddy Shelduck, Falcated Duck, Ferruginous Duck, Great Crested Grebe, Red-crested Pochard, and other wintering ducks.
Fanjingshan Nature Reserve
Located in northeastern Guizhou Province and covering 41,900 hectares, Fanjingshan Nature Reserve was established in 1978 and granted as a National Reserve in 1986. It has been listed on the World Heritage List since 2018. The reserve has recorded around 195 bird species including some really special species such as Temminck's Tragopan, Chinese Sparrowhawk, Black-winged Cuckooshrike, Indochinese Yuhina, Chinese Babax, Elliot's Laughingthrush, Rufous Sibia, Chinese Blackbird, etc.
Maolan Nature Reserve
Sitting in the southeast of Libo County, Maolan National Nature Reserve covers an area of 20,000 hectares, over 90 % covered by forest. The reserve was established in 1985 and upgraded to National Level Reserve in 1988. It was included in the Network of Biosphere Reserves by UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Program in 1996. The reserve has recorded about 205 bird species including some rare species such as Orange-bellied leafbird, Fairy Pitta, Silver Oriole, Elliot's Pheasant, etc.
Xishui Nature Reserve
Lying in Xishui County of northern Guizhou and covering 48,666 hectares, Xishui Nature Reserve was established in 1992 and upgraded into National Level Reserve in 1997. It is the largest nature reserve in Guizhou Province. According to the investigation in 2005, there are around 147 bird species including Reeve’s Pheasant, Chinese Bamboo Partridge, Yellow-bellowed Tit, etc.
Last one: Birding info of Guangxi, China
Next one: Birding info of Hainan, China
