3rd China Dalian (Lushunkou) International Bird-Watching Competition opens

Updated: Oct 20, 2017 chinadaily.com.cn Print

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The 3rd China Dalian (Lushunkou) International Bird Watching Competition kicked off on Oct 20 in Lushunkou, Dalian city.

The local government aims to build an international and sustainable communication platform of bird-watching to promote development and international exchange related to Chinese bird protection and biodiversity conservation.

Twenty domestic and overseas birdwatching teams have signed up for the competition, which will run to Oct 22.

The competition has established several birdwatching stations in and around Lushunkou, such as the 203 National Forest Park, Shuangdaowan Saltern and Dalian Medical University.

It is intended as a comprehensive study of the biodiversity of migratory birds in Lushunkou and as a means to provide scientific data for protecting birds and their habitat.

Laotie Mountain in Lushunkou is a world renowned Northeast Asian bird migration crossing point. In the spring and autumn of each year hundreds of thousands of migratory birds of more than 200 varieties arrive there.

After many years of hard work, Lushunkou has seen a steady increase of migratory birds, especially aquila chrysaetos and aquila clanga pallas, both protected at the national first-level.

Since 2010, a certain number of oriental white storks, up to 78, have been overwintering in Zhangjia county; the county is now the biggest wintering area of that species in Northeast China.

In 2016, the 35th anniversary of Love the Birds Week, Zhangjia county was named a Protected Area of Oriental White Storks by the State Forestry Bureau and the China Wildlife Conservation Association.

The 3rd China Dalian (Lushunkou) International Bird-Watching Competition is hosted by the State Forestry Bureau and the government of Dalian City, and supported by several local and national organizations.