Migratory Birds Start Wintering in Henan

Migratory Birds Start Wintering in Henan

天太冷了 候鸟提前回“老家”过冬

At present, the annual bird migration is taking place in many wetlands across Henan province. Affected by the cold weather in North China, a large number of migratory birds have flocked to Henan to spend winter earlier than previous years.

眼下，一年一度的鸟类大迁徙正在我省多处湿地上演。受北方寒潮天气影响，今年秋冬大量候鸟提前“回豫”越冬。

A wetland park in Henan. [Photo/Henan Daily]

Li Zhongxin, a staff member of the Old Yellow River Course National Wetland Park in Minquan county of Shangqiu city, Henan province, was delighted to observe two red-crested pochards (Netta rufina) foraging leisurely in the lake for the first time on November 9.

11月9日，民权黄河故道国家湿地公园的工作人员李忠信监测到湿地新鸟种——赤嘴潜鸭。当时，两只“小家伙”正在水面悠闲觅食，这一发现让李忠信惊喜不已。

According to Li Jie, head of the Park's Management Center, the weather in North China this year is much colder and comes earlier, so the excellent ecosystem, abundant aquatic plants, sufficient food supply at the wetland with minimum human interference and safe habitat have attracted more migratory birds to spend winter here earlier than before, too. Up to now, 32 thousand birds have been wintering here. In mid-to-late November, a large number of birds will also come here for the winter.

据该湿地公园管理中心主任李杰介绍，由于湿地生态系统优良、水草丰富、越冬鸟类食物充足，并最大限度减少人为因素干扰，栖息环境安全，加之北方寒潮天气比往年提前且势力较强，今年秋冬鸟类迁徙呈现出“早至”和“量大”的特点。截至目前，在此栖息越冬的鸟类已达3.2万只。据悉，11月中下旬还将有大量鸟类到此越冬。

As early as late September and early October, Eurasian coots (Fulica atra), the "spearhead" of bird migration, were spotted in the Park, much earlier than previous years. So far, about 15 thousand Eurasian coots have been wintering here, a significant increase in number compared with previous years.

早在9月底至10月初，民权黄河故道国家湿地公园内便监测到鸟类迁徙“先头部队”骨顶鸡，较往年迁飞至此的时间明显提前；目前，骨顶鸡的数量已达1.5万只左右，比往年明显增加。

Located in the eastern part of the middle route of China's three major migratory routes of birds, the Park is an important resting place for migratory birds. Every winter, there are 70 to 90 thousand birds temporarily resting here, while more than 40 thousand wintering here.

民权黄河故道国家湿地公园位于我国三大鸟类迁飞路线的中线偏东位置，是鸟类迁飞的重要停歇地。每年冬季，有7万至9万只迁飞鸟类在此停歇、栖息，有4万余只鸟类在此越冬。

Migratory birds have also arrived at the Yellow River Wetland National Nature Reserve in Mengjin district of Luoyang city, Henan province, much earlier this year. Up to now, 11 black storks (Ciconia nigra, under China's first-class protection), 62 Eurasian spoonbills (Platalea leucorodia, under China's second-class protection) and 50 tundra swans (Cygnus columbianus, under China's second-class protection) have been spotted in the Reserve, together with many taiga bean geese (Anser fabalis), great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo), etc.

在孟津黄河湿地保护区，候鸟也提前到此越冬。目前，保护区工作人员已观测到国家一级保护动物黑鹳11只，国家二级保护动物白琵鹭62只，国家二级保护动物小天鹅50只，豆雁、普通鸬鹚、绿头鸭、斑嘴鸭、绿翅鸭等也已到来。

At Yellow River Wetland Nature Reserve in Zhengzhou city of Henan province, migratory birds heading for South China for winter reached their peak in mid-to-late October.

在郑州黄河湿地自然保护区，根据工作人员的观察记录，迁徙路过南下越冬的鸟群数量在10月中下旬已达到顶峰。（中文来源/河南日报 记者/刘晓阳 编译/赵汉青 海报/王君艺 审校/白玉杰）