Rare storks spotted in Xiamen, SE China's Fujian

Two oriental white storks fly over a wetland in Xiamen city, southeast China's Fujian Province. (People's Daily Online/Chen Bo)

Rare oriental white storks and black storks have arrived at a wetland in Xiamen city, southeast China's Fujian Province as temperatures drop, attracting many bird watchers.

"Both of the two species are under first-class national protection in China. Oriental white storks, in particular, have a very small population and are listed as endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species," said Ke Yukun from the bird watching society of Xiamen.

"Three oriental white storks and two black storks were spotted in Xiamen this time. The former has not been seen in the city for many years. And it is even rarer to see both species appear together," Ke added.

The Oriental white stork, whose plumage is mainly white, has red legs and black-feathered wings. It inhabits shallow water areas such as lakes, reservoirs, and ponds, and sometimes perches on trees. The black stork has a black-brown head, neck, and back. Cautious by nature, it often circles in the air to find a safe landing spot. It feeds on fish, frogs, crustaceans, and insects in marshes and wetlands.

Thanks to the steady improvement in Xiamen's ecological environment, Xiamen has seen a growing number of wintering birds, according to an official of the Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Natural Resources and Planning.