Nandagang Migratory Bird Habitat: A vital coastal wetland reserve

Located on the western shore of Bohai Bay, Nandagang Migratory Bird Habitat in Cangzhou, north China’s Hebei Province, is a thriving coastal wetland nature reserve. Covering a total area of 7,500 hectares, it is home to 271 species of birds, including 16 under first-class national protection and 52 species under second-class national protection. The habitat is part of the Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China (Phase II), which was included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List on July 26. The Phase I sanctuaries were inscribed in 2019.

The Nandagang reserve is a crucial stopover and transit point on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, which spans more than 20 countries and regions from the Arctic to Southeast Asia and Australasia. Each year, from late February to early April and from early October to mid-December, large numbers of migratory birds stop here to replenish food and energy for their long-distance journeys. Statistics reveal that 152 species of migratory birds pass through the reserve annually, with different species and groups alternating every 5-10 days during the migration season.

Continuous efforts to restore the reserve’s wetlands have made significant progress in recent years, with the improved environment providing a more diverse habitat for the birds.