Over 20 migratory bird species winter at Guiyang's Hongfeng Lake

A flock of migratory birds rests on the surface of Hongfeng Lake in Guiyang. [Photo/WeChat account of Zhizhi Guiyang]

The peak of the 2024 autumn and winter migratory bird season has officially begun as flocks of ruddy shelducks, spot-billed ducks, and tufted ducks arrive at Hongfeng Lake in Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province.

From October until the end of March next year, Guizhou enters a critical period for monitoring migratory birds and preventing wildlife-related epidemics. Hongfeng Lake is a key wintering site for migratory birds and one of the province's first designated protected corridors for bird migration.  

To guard the migratory birds and enhance biosecurity measures, the Guiyang wildlife conservation station has installed four remote monitoring systems at Hongfeng Lake, covering areas not easily reached by manual patrols.

In addition, 16 monitoring routes have been set up. By combining remote surveillance with ground patrols, the station conducts daily monitoring throughout this critical period and implements a daily reporting system.

So far, the Guiyang wildlife conservation station has recorded more than 20 bird species at Hongfeng Lake, including ruddy shelducks, spot-billed ducks, great crested grebes, and tufted ducks, with a total count exceeding 2,000 individuals.