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Birds are one of the most beautiful species in the world. There are 160,000 kinds of birds, and the tertiary period is the Golden Age for birds. However, there are only no more than 10,000 kinds of birds existing today.
Although a growing number of people have attached great importance to birds’ protection, there is approximately about 1,200 species of birds are faced with extinction, with the data showing that the reasons for birds’ extinction include habitat destruction and change accounting for 60%, massive hunt of 29%, the competition from alien species, and the pollution brought by international trade.
Collared Finchbill
There is no doubt that the process of pursuing human civilization has brought a devastating damage to the environment and creatures. Therefore, to protect the ecological environment is the top priority for human being.
With love and passion, Chinese senior photographer Du Xin took a Significant trip to China’s North to explore the secrets of bird migration.
The visit to Qinling Mountains
The Qinling Mountains, formerly known as the Nanshan ("Southern Mountains") and sometimes called the "Szechuan Alps", are a major east-west mountain range in southern Shaanxi Province, China. The mountains provide a natural boundary between the North and South China, and support a huge variety of plant and wildlife.
People usually link the Qinling Mountains with pandas for the considerable amounts of pandas. However, there is another national treasure in Qinling—the Crested Ibis. As the most endangered bird species In China’s national treasure bird species list, Crested Ibis is Du Xin’s destination of the visit to Qinling Mountains.
Beautiful and auspicious bird-- Golden Pheasant
In Chinese traditional culture, the beautiful bird symbolizes happiness and luck. Luckily, photographer Du Xin captured several Golden Pheasant with his camera lens In Qinling Mountains.
Male Golden Pheasants can be easily identified by their bright colouring. They have a golden crest tipped with red which extends from the top of their heads, down their necks. They have bright red underparts, dark coloured wings and a pale brown, long, barred tail. Their rumps are also golden, upper backs are green and they have bright yellow eyes with a small black pupil. Their face, throat and chin are a rust colour and their wattles and orbital skin are yellow. Beak, legs and feet are also yellow.
Female Golden Pheasants are less colourful and duller than males. They have a mottled brown plumage, pale brown face, throat, breast and sides, pale yellow feet and are slenderer in appearance.
Crested Ibis
The Crested Ibis, known as the "treasure of the East", "Oriental gem", is a rare and precious species in the world. In history, Crested Ibis was widely distributed in East Asia.
The species declined rapidly during the late 19th century and early to mid-20th century due to the deforestation of woodlands used for nesting, over-hunting and loss of wetlands, as well as the use of agrochemicals in rice-paddies, especially during the 1950s, which causes reductions in the abundance and diversity of its prey. In 1983, there were only 7 Crested Ibises left. Since then, great efforts have been made on the protection and scientific research of Crested Ibis and noticeable achievements have been made in these fields, especially in captive breeding.
Crested Ibis’ head is partially bare, showing its red skin, and it has a dense crest of white willow leaf like plumes on the nape, a long down-curved beak and white plumages mixed with pink. The length of the bird is about 80cm (31 inches). They build their nests on the tall trees and inhabit there. While foraging, they fly to rice fields, river banks, marshes and streams in the valley and mainly feed on grasshoppers, frogs, small fishes, loaches and river snails.
Demoiselle crane
A group of demoiselle crane fly over the yellow grass.
The demoiselle crane is a species of crane found in central Eurasia, it is the smallest species of crane. Birds from western Eurasia will spend the winter in Africa whilst the birds from Asia, Mongolia and China will spend the winter in the subcontinent.
Anthropoides virgo is a rare and precious species of birds that worth people to respect and protect.
Migrations of the crane
The cranes have to take one of the toughest migrations in the world.
In late August through September, they gather in flocks of up to 400 individuals and prepare for their flight to their winter range.
During their migratory flight south, demoiselles fly like all cranes, with their head and neck straight forward and their feet and legs straight behind, reaching altitudes of 4,900–7,900 metres. Along their arduous journey they have to cross the Himalayan mountains to get to their over-wintering grounds in India.
Great Bustard
The Chifeng city can be very proud of its largest number of nature reserves in China. There are 28 nature reserves in Chifeng, and 8 among them are national level.
The nature reserves protect the living environment of those precious birds.
Great Bustard, also named Otis tarda, is a typical Grassland birds. It`s the national birds of Hungary. It's very hard to see them in China since the number is no more than 400.
White-naped crane
White-naped crane, is the third kind of precious species the photographer taken in Inner Mongolia.
The white-naped crane breeds in northeastern Mongolia, northeastern China, it is evaluated as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The birds migrate to winter near the Yangtze River.
Steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis)
Steppe eagle is a kind of eagle, and a bird of prey. This is a large eagle with brown upperparts and blackish flight feathers and tail. This species is larger and darker than the tawny eagle, and it has a pale throat which is lacking in that species.
The Steppe eagle usually appears in the grassland of north dry plain.
The steppe eagle breeds from Xinjiang Province east through the Qinhai Province, Inner Mongolia, and Hebei province. The birds winter in Guizhou Province, Guangdong Province and Hainan Province.
White-naped Crane
The White-naped Crane (Antigone vipio) is a bird of the crane family. It is a large bird, 112–125 cm (44–49 in) long, approximately 130 cm (4.3 ft) tall and weighing about 5.6 kg (12 lb) with pinkish legs, grey and white striped neck, and a red face patch.
The White-naped Crane breeds in northeastern Inner Mongolia, northeastern China, and adjacent areas of southeastern Russia where a program at Khingan Nature Reserve raises eggs provided from U.S. zoos to bolster the species.
The elegance of a flock of White-naped Crane gliding from the blue sky leaves an incredible impression on those who just catch an instant glance of them.
Demoiselle Crane
The Demoiselle Crane (Grus virgo) is a species of crane found in central Eurasia, ranging from the Black Sea to Inner Mongolia and northeastern China.
Demoiselle Crane has an interesting symbolism in Indian culture. Called "koonj" in Hindi.
The natural combination of a flock of Demoiselle Crane and wild grassland of Inner Mongolia impresses various of tourists and allures them to take photos of those lively ones.
One of the photographers capture the moment when a flock of Demoiselle Crane fly over the Inner Mongolia vast grassland to the firmament with the unique proud, which symbolizes the strong desire of Demoiselle Crane for conquering the Qomolangma.
Steppe Eagle
As we all know, Eagle has advanced techniques of flying, skillful ability of hunting for prey.
The Eagle is indispensable to human hunters in the aspects of assistance of hunting.
Eagle has a long history for being the symbol of royal family since the age of Egyptian pharaohs.
The Eagle has also gained popularity among ancient ethnic groups, especially the steppe nomads. It has the same situation in multiple ethnic groups of eastern China.
The Steppe Eagle breeds from Romania east through the south Russian and Central Asian to Inner Mongolia. It is about 62–81 cm (24–32 in) in length and has a wingspan of 1.65–2.15 m (5.4–7.1 ft) with brown upperparts and blackish flight feathers and tail.
Amur Falcon
The Amur falcon (Falco amurensis) is a small raptor of the falcon family. It breeds in south-eastern Siberia and Northern China before migrating in large flocks across India and over the Arabian Sea to winter in Southern Africa.
The Amur falcon has been listed into the ClassⅡnational protected species in China.
Unfortunately, one American national geographic website has reportedly indicated that every autumn, a large amount of the Amur falcon will be served on the table when they take a rest at northern mountainous regions of India.
It is estimated that the number of dead Amur falcon amounts up to 120,000 to 140,000. Because of the massive hunting, Indian government and relevant organizations have already taken actions to prevent further hunting, adding that the bad behaviors should be firmly forbidden in the near future.
Buteo lagopus
As a kind of rare migrant birds, Buteo lagopus is famous for its thick feathers covering to toes. It is also the cold-tolerant bird that belongs to the category of tundra coniferous forest, inhabiting in arctic region in its propagative period.
It mainly breeds in the north of Eurasia and North America, and migrates to Japan, Turkey, the south of Russia and the east of America in winter.
Buteo lagopus is second-class national protected animal, and it usually exercises with buzzards and hovers often than the latter.
Two first-class national protected birds
Black stork has high ornamental value and is not second to panda. Its number may continue declining as experts estimate.
Listed in the Red Data Book of International Union for Conservation of Nature as endangered species, Grus japonensis propagates in China’s Songnen Plain, Russian Far East and Japan, overwintering in China’s southeast coastal areas and the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the Korea bay as well as Japan.
It is rare to see Black stork and Grus japonensis; both of them are first-class national protected animals.
Heaven on the earth
Seeing the birches reflecting in the water, the pond connects the swamp in the distance, bringing the far mountain in sight.
The yurt in hillside leaps to the eyes when the first light of day shines on the mountain.
Migratory birds skim over the beautiful forest in droves, adding the distinctive color to the wood and making the scene more attractive.
About the photographer
Photographer Du Xin becomes attached to two friends due to the Photography work in Qinling Mountains; one is Pan Wenshi, a scientist who researches pandas and the other Hua Ying, a Crested Ibis protector. They have beliefs and pursuit in common and all contribute a lot to animal protection. Their passion to nature enhances their cherished ties and will lead them further in the journey of species protection.
Right in the picture is Hua Ying, and photographer Du Xin in the middle.
Conclusion
China boasts three migrant birds channels out of world’s eight channels, from which magnificent scenery could be seen. This trip enables the photographer to see the significant efforts that human beings made to save rare birds and understand how hard the birds’ future is.
Human beings’ negligence and the development of civilization even well-mentioned protection may produce unexpected impact on rare species. Once getting incomplete or partially collapsed, the ecosystem formed for centuries may face disaster.
Do not let all good things become memory!
Photo by Du Xin
Editor: Zhou Xinyi, Xiao Yunhong, Gong Chen, Zhang Xiaodong
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
