5) Birdie Heaven, Xinhui of Guangdong Province
Without exaggeration, the ecotourism destination "Birdie Heaven" in Xinhui of south China's Guangdong Province is one of a kind.
Wild Ardeidae are among the birds inhabiting this "one-tree-made" island. For 393 years the tree has grown and become home to thousands of birds from different species, which vary in habits yet remain "good neighbors" to one another.
Locals suggest visiting the island early in the morning when all the birds are still home or at nightfall as they all return.
6) Red-crowned crane, Yancheng of Jiangsu Province
Along a vast sea beach that stretches 582km, as many as 800 to 1,000 red-crowned cranes (half the number in the world) migrate from northern China to Yancheng, a city in East China's Jiangsu Province, to spend the winter.
Take a bus from the city and travel for only an hour and a half to easily reach the Yancheng National Nature Reserve.
7) Black-necked crane, Dashanbao of Yunnan Province
A series of wetlands scattered across Dashanbao National Nature Reserve in Zhaotong County, Yunnan Province, offer a perfect home to the black-necked crane, the Panda of the bird world.
Dashanbao is the only place where you will find this rare bird that only inhabits the plateau.
8) Wetland birds, Chongming Island of Shanghai
As Shanghai's window to the sea, Chongming Dao is bigger than Cyprus and sits in the mouth of the Yangtze River.
It is a key site for wetland birds on China's east coast including the Swan Goose (Anser cygnoides), the Baer's Pochard (Aythya baeri) and others.
Though highly developed, the island is carefully preserved to be environmentally friendly. With electric vehicles and a construction process that aims to be sustainable, the wetland ecosystem is also protected with a special buffer zone.
If you are currently settled in Shanghai, it's convenient and worthwhile to take a birding trip to Chongming Dao.
