Birding info of Zhejiang, China
Lying on the Yangtze River Delta southeast of China, Zhejiang covers 101,800 square kilometers of land territory and 30,900 square kilometers of ocean territory. Zhejiang has a population of 51.8 million people. The topography of Zhejiang is complex that 70.4% of its territory is mountains and hills, 23.2% is plains and basins and 6.4% is rivers and lakes.
The province has abundant water resources consist of 8 river systems and numerous lakes. Qiantang River is the most important river to Zhejiang while the West Lake in Hangzhou, East Lake in Shaoxing, South Lake in Jiaxing and Dongqian Lake in Ningbo are the most famous lakes of the province. Facing the East China Sea, Zhejiang has a rugged coastline with a length of 6,486 kilometers and plenty bays and islands.
With rich biodiversity, Zhejiang province is grown over 3,000 plant species and 59.4% of its land territory is covered by forest. There are 125 animal species in the province under national key protection. More than 400 bird species have been recorded in the province including two rare and endemic species to China Cabot's Tragopan and Elliot's Pheasant.
The capital of Zhejiang is Hangzhou, which has a history of 2,200 years and is one of the eight ancient capitals in China.The province belongs to subtropical monsoon climate with abundant rainfall and distinct seasons. The following are some important bird habitats in Zhejiang Province.
Some Important Birding Sites in Zhejiang Province
Wuyanling Nature Reserve
Established in 1975 and became a national reserve in 1994, Wuyanling Nature Reserve is located in Taishun County. The reserve is the home of the world endangered species Cabot's Tragopan and has the highest population density of the world. The reserve has recorded over 200 bird species of which 8 are first-grade state protected animals and 42 are under second-grade state protected animals. Such as Koklass Pheasant, Chinese Bamboo Partridge, Silver Pheasant, Black Bulbul, Black Eagle, Black Baza, Chinese Sparrowhawk, Oriental Dollarbird, Grey-chinned Minivet, Yellow-cheeked Tit, Mountain Bulbul, Chestnut Bulbul, Rufous-faced Warbler, Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler, Grey-headed Parrotbill, Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush,
Narcissus Flycatcher, Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, etc.
Qingliangfeng Nature Reserve
Situated in Linan and covering 10,800 hectares, the reserve was established in 1979 and upgraded national reserve in 1998. Aiming to protect forest ecosystem and rare creatures, the reserve has complex terrain and special environment. The reserve is abundant in animal and plant resources that has recorded 2,200 higher plant species, 70 mammal species and 215 kind of birds. Among the bird species, there are 23 under national key protection including Elliot's Pheasant, Crested Serpent-Eagle, Mountain Hawk-Eagle, and Scaly-sided Merganser. Other birds like Chinese Bamboo Partridge, Silver Pheasant, Koklass Pheasant, Chestnut-winged Cuckoo, Great Barbet, Grey-capped Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Treepie, Yellow-bellied Tit, Coal Tit , Chestnut Bulbul, Mountain Bulbul, Chestnut-crowned Warbler, Grey-headed Parrotbill, Grey-sided Scimitar-Babbler, Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush, Spotted Elachura, Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher, White-crowned Forktail, Slaty Bunting, etc.
Cixi Hangzhou Bay Wetlands
Located in northern Cixi City, the wetland covers an area of 43.5 square kilometers, and is one of the eight largest saline-alkaline wetlands in China. The wetlands have become a nature reserve since 2006. Of the more than 200 bird species have been recorded in the wetlands, the migratory birds take its majority. There are more than 50,000 waterfowls inhabit here every migrating season and make it an ideal birding resort. Such as Falcated Duck, Tufted Duck, Smew, Grey Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Kentish Plover, Whimbrel, Far Eastern Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Great Knot, Red Knot, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, Dunlin, Terek Sandpiper, Nordmann's Greenshank, Black-tailed Gull, Gull-billed Tern, Chinese Egret, Eurasian Spoonbill, Black-faced Spoonbill, Osprey, Eastern Marsh Harrier, Japanese Sparrowhawk, Peregrine Falcon, Chinese Penduline Tit, Thick-billed Warbler, Oriental Reed Warbler, Manchurian Bush Warbler, Reed Parrotbill, Vinous-throated Parrotbill, Siberian Rubythroat, Black-faced Bunting, etc.
Tianmushan
Tianmushan has a typical mid-subtropical forest ecosystem that homes to a lot of specials of eastern China. Of the more than 140 bird species have been recorded in Tianmushan. It has the most records of Short-tailed Parrotbill. Other birds like Grey-headed Parrotbill, Vinous-throated Parrotbill, Chinese Bamboo-Partridge, Grey-capped Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Tit, Chestnut Bulbul, Mountain Bulbul, Rufous-faced Warbler, Indochinese Yuhina, Huet's Fulvetta, Meadow Bunting, etc.
Xiao Yangshan Island
Part of Zhejiang but much relied upon by Shanghai, the island lies 25km off Cape Nanhui and is accessible by car over the Donghai Bridge. Migrating passerines are the major attraction. Of the more than 250 bird species have been recorded in this island. Such as Japanese Quail, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Red-necked Stint, Dunlin, Chinese Egret, Osprey, Japanese Sparrowhawk, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Oriental Scops Owl, Northern Boobook, Black-capped Kingfisher, Dollarbird, Peregrine Falcon, Bull-headed Shrike, Chinese Penduline Tit, Oriental Reed Warbler, Yellow-browed Warbler, Radde's Warbler, Eastern Crowned Warbler, Pale-legged Leaf Warbler, Arctic Warbler, Manchurian Bush Warbler, White's Thrush, Siberian Thrush, Japanese Thrush, Grey-backed Thrush, Eyebrowed Thrush, Pale Thrush, Rufous-tailed Robin, Siberian Rubythroat, Siberian Blue Robin, Mugimaki Flycatcher, Narcissus Flycatcher, Yellow-billed Grosbeak, Yellow Bunting, Rustic Bunting, Chestnut Bunting, Tristram's Bunting, etc.
West Lake
In June 2011, West Lake was enlisted as World Cultural Heritage. Around West Lake, there are lots of natural and made scenic sites. The broad lake surface provides good living environment for lots of water birds. Such as Mandarin Duck, Eastern Spot-billed Duck, Goosander, Common Moorhen, Herring Gull, Great Cormorant, Striated Heron, Chinese Pond Heron, etc. Other birds like Speckled Piculet, Yellow-bellied Tit, Collared Finchbill, Light-vented Bulbul, Black Bulbul, Chestnut Bulbul, Mountain Bulbul, Grey-headed Parrotbill, Vinous-throated Parrotbill, White's Thrush, Grey-backed Thrush, Eurasian Siskin, etc.
Hangzhou Botanical Garden
Covering over 230 hectares, Hanzhou Botanical Garden is located on a hill in the northwest of West Lake with more than 3000 plant species. The lush vegetation here makes it the best birding place in Hangzhou for various forest birds such as Red-billed Blue Magpie, Black Bulbul, Light-vented Bulbul, Mountain Bulbul, Chestnut Bulbul, Crested Goshawk, Asian Barred Owlet, Great Barbet, Dollarbird, Speckled Piculet, Grey-chinned Minivet, Brown-rumped Minivet, Grey Treepie, Yellow-bellied Tit, Collared Finchbill, Grey-headed Parrotbill, Vinous-throated Parrotbill, Rufous-capped Babbler, Huet's Fulvetta, Red-billed Leiothrix, Grey-backed Thrush, Pale Thrush, Yellow-rumped Flycatcher, Orange-bellied Leafbird, Eurasian Siskin, Yellow-throated Bunting, Tristram's Bunting, etc.
Hangzhou Xixi Wetlands
Located about 5km from West Lake, Xixi National Wetland Park is quieter and more original. It is another excellent place for birding with special birding areas where we can see lots of water birds and forest birds such as Chinese Bamboo-Partridge, Lesser Coucal, Large Hawk-Cuckoo, White-breasted Waterhen, Black Bittern, Chinese Pond Heron, Striated Heron, Pied Kingfisher, Dollarbird, Speckled Piculet, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Black-naped Oriole, Amur Paradise-Flycatcher, Black Bulbul, Silver-throated Tit, Black-throated Tit, Vinous-throated Parrotbill, Masked Laughingthrush, Grey-backed Thrush, Black-faced Bunting, Yellow-browed Bunting, etc.
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