470 Species! 31.3% of the Nation's Birds Can Be Found in Shennongjia

Birds are a vital part of natural ecosystems, and China is one of the countries with the richest bird diversity in the world, boasting 1,505 bird species. Shennongjia is located at the junction of the eastern and central migratory bird pathways of China. It is a crucial area on the East Asian-Australasian and Central Asian flyways and serves as an important stopover for migratory birds.

In recent years, Shennongjia has been improving its protection and management of the natural World Heritage site and significantly enhancing the protection of birds and their habitats. As a result, the bird habitats have greatly improved, and bird populations have steadily increased. The area's forest coverage rate has reached 91%, with many rare bird species like the White-crowned Long-tailed Pheasant (Syrmaticus reevesii), Spectacled Parrotbill (Paradoxornis conspicillatus), and Barred Laughingthrush (Garrulax lunulatus) thriving here. Shennongjia has established 10 bird-watching trails and 10 bird-watching education centers, becoming a vital stopover for migratory birds and a paradise for bird-watching enthusiasts.

Since its inception in 2019, the Bird-watching Competition of Shennongjia has been held five times, with each session breaking previous records. Lu Jun, researcher at the Chinese Academy of Forestry and Director of the National Bird Banding Center, said: "This year's competition attracted 65 teams from 23 provinces, making it the largest and most wide-reaching bird-watching event in China's history. The Bird-watching Competition of Shennongjia has successfully established a strong brand for bird conservation, driven by government leadership, public participation, and multi-departmental collaboration, pushing the public engagement mechanism for wildlife protection to a new level."

Over the years, bird-watching teams have traversed meadows, passed through thickets, and ventured into dense forests, traveling through lowland, mid-altitude, sub-alpine, and wetland bird habitats. They have captured a wealth of stunning imagery, continuously updating and expanding the inventory of Shennongjia's bird resources. Ruan Guangyou, Vice President of the Hubei Wildlife Protection Association, said that Shennongjia continues to enhance the branding of the bird-watching event, striving to make the Bird-watching Competition of Shennongjia a leading wildlife conservation brand and ecological cultural event in China. This effort encourages more public involvement in the conservation of birds and wildlife.

The judging panel, consisting of seven experts, conducted a thorough review by questioning each team about disputed species, unique species, and verifying the records. After review and validation, the final results confirmed the recording of 262 valid bird species, including two species newly recorded in Shennongjia, the Snowy-browed Flycatcher (Ficedula hyperythra) and Grey-sided Thrush (Turdus feae). Yang Jingyuan, Director of the Scientific Research Institute of Shennongjia National Park, said, "This year, 27 bird-watching teams submitted records of over 100 bird species, accounting for 40% of all teams. The overall standard of bird-watching teams in this competition ranks among the best in national bird-watching events."

Shennongjia's unique natural environment has become a paradise for many bird species and a stopover and “refueling station” for migratory birds. During migration seasons, large numbers of migratory birds stop here to rest and replenish before continuing to their wintering grounds or breeding sites in the north.

The Gucheng Bird-watching Team, who participated in the competition for the second time, are familiar with Shennongjia's ecology and bird population. "Last time we came in May, this time it's the golden autumn. The birds we saw are quite different, showing just how rich Shennongjia's bird resources are. Bird-watching is possible in every season," said Xia Xiaobin, a team member. He and his teammates discovered and photographed the Grey-sided Thrush, one of the newly recorded species.

The Changsha Bird Photography Association Team won first prize. Team member Cheng Jiaqiang said, "Shennongjia's ecology is naturally pristine, and its biodiversity is rich. In just three days, we recorded over 260 bird species, which shows that Shennongjia offers an ideal habitat for bird species."

The competition awarded one first prize, two second prizes, three third prizes, and one special contribution award, recognizing the teams that recorded more species or identified rare bird species not previously recorded in Shennongjia. The Changsha Bird Photography Association Team won first prize, while the Beijing Tangyuan Bird-watching Team and Beautiful Wanchaoshan Team won second prizes. The Yichang Bird-watching Team, Wuhan Bird-watching Team, and Fujian Bird-watching Association Team won third prizes. The Gucheng Bird-watching Team received the special contribution award.

Shennongjia's bird species include winter visitors, summer visitors, resident birds, and migratory birds. Summer visitors come to breed in the spring and leave in the fall, while winter visitors come to Shennongjia to overwinter in the fall and leave for the north in the spring. Migratory stopover birds rest and feed in Shennongjia during migration. Zhu Zhaoqian, a professor-level senior engineer and President of the Hubei Wildlife Protection Association Bird-watching Branch, explained that in September, bird-watching is done mainly by observing bird characteristics or listening to their calls, as birds are quieter and less vocal in autumn. Given that it is not the breeding season, recording over 260 valid species in three days is quite an achievement.

Dai Guangming, Deputy Director of the Administration of Shennongjia National Park, noted that previous bird-watching competitions were held in the spring, but this year's event was deliberately scheduled for autumn. This allowed for a baseline bird resource survey across different seasons. Another objective was to compare this year's autumn observations with those from the inaugural Bird-watching Competition of Shennongjia in October 2019. Remarkably, this year's recorded bird species exceeded the 198 species observed in 2019 by 64, a testament to Shennongjia's improving natural environment, which is attracting more birds to settle in the area.

Tang Jun, Vice Mayor of Shennongjia Forestry District, Ruan Guangyou, Vice President of the Hubei Wildlife Protection Association, and the Administration’s leaders Dai Guangming, Xue Hong, Hu Yu, along with the competition judges, attended the closing ceremony and presented awards to the participants. (Text by Du Hua and Wang Pin)