Fifteen endangered black-billed gulls were found overwintering in the Qilihai Lagoon Wetland in Hebei Province

　　China News Service, Shijiazhuang, February 6 (Zhao Danmei and Yao Weiqiang) Hebei Provincial Forestry and Grassland Bureau reported on the 6th that staff at the Gold Coast National Nature Reserve Management Center in Changli, Hebei Province recently discovered during bird monitoring that the Qilihai Lagoon Wetland Beach There are 15 black-billed gulls, a national first-level protected wild animal, looking for food. This is the largest number of black-billed gulls recorded in a single day during the winter in the wetland.

On February 4, a black-billed gull was photographed in the Qilihai Lagoon Wetland in Hebei Province. Photo by Liu Xun

　　It is reported that the black-billed gull, known as the "Wetland Elf", mainly inhabits coastal beaches, swamps and estuaries. It is a first-level protected wild animal in China's "National List of Key Protected Wild Animals" and is included in the "World Conservation Union" Red List of Endangered Species. As an indicator species, black-billed gulls are extremely sensitive to the ecological environment. A total of 15 were found this time, which is the largest number of black-billed gulls recorded in a single day during the winter in the wetland.

　　As the largest lagoon in North China, the junction of the forest area and wetland in Qilihai is also a migration route for many migratory birds, becoming an important stopover and feeding place for migratory birds.

　　So far, a total of 204 species of birds, 19 orders, 48 ​​families, have been recorded in the Qilihai Lagoon Wetland, including 113 species of waterbirds, 9 orders, 17 families, and 91 species of other birds, 10 orders, 31 families, including 16 species of national first-level protected birds, and national second-level protected birds. There are 37 species of protected birds, and all cranes on the migration route in eastern China have been recorded.

　　Currently, in addition to black-billed gulls, the birds that overwinter in the Qilihai Lagoon Wetland include white-headed cranes, white-tailed sea eagles, gray cranes, mute swans and other rare birds. (over)