Chengdu Flash｜Bird-watching Destinations in Chengdu

Xinjin District

The areas boast a good ecological environment and rich wetland resources, providing agreeable habitats and stopovers for migrant birds.
Baihetan Park in the district, the only national wetland park in Chengdu, has a diversified terrestrial features of grass wetland, pebble rapids and shallows along the rivers that provide abundant food supply for varied species of birds.

Photo by Wenwei

In early winter, the Sancha Lake boasts enchanting lake scenery and ever-changing clouds, where over 10,000 rare wild birds, including white egrets, Ardea cinerea, Ardeola bacchus, cormorants, wild ducks, and Fulica atra, find their habitats on the numerous islands.

Photo by Guotai Luo

The district has risen to fame recently for an online post of a picture showing an osprey catching a fish at its claws over the Xihu Lake on the Xipu Campus of Southwestern Jiaotong University. The appearance of osprey, the national second-class protected animal, is a vivid description of the biological diversity and high-quality of ecological environment of the area.
Tips for bird-watching
Migrant birds seeking winter habitats in Chengdu usually choose wetlands by rivers and lakes, so lakes and wetlands make the favorable bird-watching destinations in the city.
Equipment for bird-watching
1. Binoculars within the range of 7×~10× are suitable for watching forest birds, while monocular telescopes within the range of 20×~60× are suitable for watching water fowls and far-range watching of individuals.
2. Take pictures of birds with the digital single lens reflex and fixed focus lens with the focal length above 400.
3. Bring reference books such as Guidebook on Wild Birds in China and Guidebook on Common Birds in Chengdu.
Tips
1. Dressed in attires with colors similar to the natural environment and avoid clothes with bright colors;
2. Keep quiet in order not to scare the birds away;
3. Do not try to drive the birds away or trap them by any means;
4. Do not run after the birds;
5. Take care of the environment and vegetation of the bird habitats.
Source:  HomeinChengdu