Two Bird Species Spotted in Mengjin Yellow River Reserve for the First Time

Two Bird Species Spotted in Mengjin Yellow River Reserve for the First Time

斑胁田鸡和西方秧鸡入群 孟津黄河湿地保护区又添“新成员”

 

Two bird species were spotted for the first time in Luoyang! A band-bellied crake (Porzana paykullii, under second-class State protection) and a water rail (Rallus aquaticus, state-protected bird with important ecological, scientific and social value) were recently observed in the Yellow River Wetland National Nature Reserve in Mengjin district of Luoyang city, Henan province. It has been confirmed that they are two new bird species ever found in Luoyang.

洛阳鸟类纪录刚刚被刷新！连日来，在孟津黄河湿地保护区内相继监测到国家二级保护动物斑胁田鸡和国家“三有”保护动物西方秧鸡，经工作人员查验文献和研究资料确认，两个物种均为洛阳市鸟类新纪录。

 

A band-bellied crake (Porzana paykullii). [Photo provided to Dahe Daily]

The band-bellied crake was seen prowling leisurely in the rice field amid reeds. Band-bellied crake, a species of small wading birds of the family Rallidae (order Gruiformes), with olive-brown upper body, rusty-brown chest, and black and white stripes on the flanks.

斑胁田鸡属鹤形目秧鸡科，小型涉禽，上体橄榄褐色，胸锈棕色，两胁有黑白相间的横斑纹。发现它的时候，它正在芦苇丛中间的稻田里悠闲地觅食，享受着秋日的时光。

A water rail (Rallus aquaticus). [Photo provided to Dahe Daily]

Also, the water rail was found foraging cautiously by the reeds. Originally classified as a subspecies of brown-cheeked rail (Rallus indicus), water rail was later regarded as a separate species of the family Rallidae (order Gruiformes). As a resident bird, it is often seen in China's western region, and occasionally in Beijing, Hebei province and Shandong province in winter.

西方秧鸡属鹤形目秧鸡科，原为普通秧鸡新疆亚种，后来上升为种。国内多见于西部地区，为留鸟，冬季偶见于北京、河北、山东等地。当时这只西方秧鸡正在芦苇丛边，小心翼翼四处张望，寻觅食物。

The Yellow River Wetland National Nature Reserve in Mengjin. [Photo provided to Dahe Daily]

In recent years, thanks to its promotion of ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River basin, wetland protection and restoration, Mengjin has seen obvious improvement in ecological environment and remarkable increase in biodiversity, which could be proved by the appearance in the Reserve of brent goose (Branta bernicla, Henan's new bird record), and the birds of Luoyang's 5 new bird records, namely mute swan (Cygnus olor), steppe eagle (Aquila rapax), greater sand plover (Charadrius leschenaultii) and red-necked phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus).

近年来，随着孟津区持续推动黄河流域生态保护和高质量发展，强化湿地保护和恢复，湿地生态环境明显改善，生物多样性显著增加。保护区相继发现了河南省鸟类新纪录黑雁，洛阳市鸟类新纪录5种：火烈鸟、疣鼻天鹅、草原雕、铁嘴沙鸻、红颈瓣蹼鹬。（中文来源/大河报 记者/李韶萌 翻译/赵汉青 海报/王君艺 审校/丁岚）