(Ecns.cn)—With the arrival of winter it's high time to go bird watching, a leisurely way to relax your mind from the daily grind and sharpen your senses.
Get ready for the excitement, as today we introduce the country's eight best places for bird watching.
1) Yellow-throated thrush, Wuyuan of Jiangxi Province
It has been labeled "the most beautiful countryside in China," where urbanization has yet to arrive and a picturesque southern landscape has been well preserved.
Located in the northeast part of Jiangxi Province, Wuyuan is currently one of only three places on earth still inhabited by the highly endangered yellow-throated thrush.
2) White crane, Poyang Lake of Jiangxi Province
Also in Jiangxi Province, where industrialization has yet to cast a pall over nature, Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in the country, has been listed as a national nature reserve.
As the world's largest home to white cranes and white storks, the lake enjoys the reputation as the "kingdom of the white crane."
The humid climate and warm weather help form the largest wintering destination for more than 310 kinds of migratory birds, among witch 11 are ranked as first class national protected species. So far, as many as 7,000 storks are estimated to inhabit the area.
3) Bird Paradise, East Dongting Lake of Hunan Province
Travel north from Jiangxi to Hunan to embrace yet another "paradise of birds," the East Dongting Lake National Reserve.
With similar geographic conditions as Poyang Lake, this wetland area is home to many migratory birds every winter. Each year new species join the fray, making the area one of the most popular bird watching spots in the country.
4) Professional birding spot in the Qinling Mountains
This is probably the most remarkable birding site in China, according to many senior bird lovers.
The Qinling Mountain range stretches between Shaanxi and Sichuan provinces, and is regarded as the natural boundary between the north and south of the country. Due to its geographic advantages, the region has become home to over 300 bird species, accounting for about one fourth of the total in China.
