YaYaYa! The 280th Danxia flyer turned out to be this one!

Danxia bird season is here, and the Guangdong Danxiashan National Nature Reserve, located on an important global migratory route for migratory birds, has added another new record of bird species! Today, members of the Danxiashan Black Kite Bird Watching Team observed and photographed a Northern Shoveler in the reserve, bringing the number of bird species recorded in Danxiashan to 280.

Northern Shoveler Ducks Spread Their Wings and Fly High in the Pond Photographed by Zou Guifu

The Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) is a bird of the Anatidae family, also known as the Shoveler-billed Duck, the Shoveler-billed Duck, etc. It has a large body and a long beak, with a wide end like a shovel. Because its beak is shaped like a pipa, it is named Shoveler Duck. In autumn, Danxia Mountain welcomes the first batch of migratory birds such as great egrets, herons, egrets, Shoveler Ducks, and White-browed Ducks, attracting a large number of bird lovers and bird survey teams to observe and photograph. Danxia Mountain is located in the eastern migratory bird area, that is, the middle section of the East Asian-Australasian Migration Route and the Western Pacific Migration Route. From October to February of the following year, a large number of migratory birds come to Guangdong to spend the winter or stop to rest during migration.

Shoveler duckPhoto by Zou Guifu

A flock of Chinese mergansers are playing and foraging freely on the river. Photo by He Jianhua

In addition, winter migratory birds of the order Anseriformes, such as the Chinese merganser, white-browed duck, red-necked duck, spot-billed duck, green-winged teal, and short-billed pea goose, have been discovered and photographed in Danxia Mountain. The Chinese merganser (scientific name: Mergus squamatus) is a national first-class protected wild animal and a species endemic to China. It is distributed in Siberia and Heilongjiang, Jilin, Hebei, and south of the Yangtze River in mainland China. It mainly inhabits streams, river valleys, meadows, ponds, and grasslands in broad-leaved forests or mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests. It appears in turbulent rivers and sometimes in open lakes.

Let’s take a look at what other cute ducks there are in Danxia Mountain.

Migratory bird: Mandarin duck (Aix galericulata)

It is a bird of the genus Mandarin duck in the family Anatidae of the order Anseriformes. Mandarin duck refers to the male bird and duck refers to the female bird. The male Mandarin duck is extremely colorful in appearance. Every year from the end of September to the beginning of October, it leaves its breeding grounds and flies southward. During migration, it often forms a group of about 10, and sometimes more than 50. Mandarin ducks are omnivorous animals. Their food includes roots, stems, leaves, seeds, mosquitoes, stoneflies, lice, locusts, beetles, etc.

Migratory bird: White-browed duck (Spatula querquedula)

It is a bird of the genus Spoon-billed Duck, Anatidae, Anseriformes. It is commonly known as the brook duck, patrol duck, and small stone duck. It has a prominent white eyebrow. It is distributed in Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, etc. It often moves in pairs or small groups, and also gathers in large groups during migration and wintering. It is timid and alert, and generally lives in ponds, swamps and rivers in plains. It often gathers in large groups in winter. It is often seen in coastal lagoons.

Migratory bird: Ruddy duck (Mareca penelope)

It is a bird of the family Anatidae of the order Anseriformes. Also known as the red-necked duck, goose duck, and red duck. It lives in mixed groups with other water birds in lakes, swamps, and estuaries. In autumn, in late September and early October, it migrates in large numbers from its breeding grounds in the north to the southern part of Northeast China and North China, and then gradually migrates southward. When migrating, it forms a group and flies very fast. It often flies in a line.

Migratory bird: Spot-billed duck ( Anas zonorhyncha )

It is a bird of the Anatidae family, Anseriformes. Also known as the flower-billed duck, valley duck, yellow-billed duck, and fire duck. It is a large duck with similar plumage for males and females. It has a black bill with a yellow tip and a black spot on the tip during the breeding season. It usually lives on the shores of freshwater lakes, and also moves in groups in rivers, lakes, reservoirs, bays, and coastal salt flats. It feeds mainly on plants, but also eats invertebrates and crustaceans.

Migratory bird: Green-winged teal (Anas crecca )

It is a bird of the Anatidae family, Anseriformes. Also known as the small duck, the small teal, the small mallard, the Ba duck, and the small clam duck. The wing mirror is bright green, and the male bird has a thick green eye pattern on its head. It is a small, fast-flying duck. The green wing mirror is obvious when flying, and it often flies in a line or "V" shape. It flies very fast, and its wings beat very quickly, often making a "whoosh" sound. The autumn migration begins in early to mid-September, and arrives in the Yangtze River Basin in mid-to-late September, and arrives in the coastal areas of Guangdong in early October. The peak migration period is from late September to late October.

Migratory bird: Short-billed Bean Goose (Anser serrirostris)

It is a bird of the Anseriformes family. The Short-billed Bean Goose moves in groups, and its habits are similar to those of the Bean Goose. The Short-billed Bean Goose has a rounder head, shorter beak and neck, and appears fatter overall. During the migration season, they often gather in large groups of dozens, hundreds or even thousands of them, led by an experienced leader goose, and the formation changes constantly.

Wild birds are experts in environmental assessment and a weathervane for the improvement of Shaoguan's ecological environment. Danxia Mountain has become an important stopover and paradise for migratory birds every year. Under the guidance of the Shaoguan Danxia Mountain Management Committee, the Danxia Mountain Black Kite Bird Watching Team has 84 "birders" composed of employees from Sun Yat-sen University, Shaoguan University, local enterprises, local community residents and science enthusiasts. More and more local community residents have participated in the action of loving and protecting birds under the guidance of professional teachers, becoming the main force of loving and protecting birds.