As spring breathes life into the land, Gansu's Yanchiwan Wetlands welcome their cherished visitors once again. Over 5,000 migratory birds, including bar-headed geese, ruddy shelducks, mallards, greylag geese, and black-necked cranes, have arrived at the wetlands. These early travelers are the first to settle in for the season, turning the area into a bustling nursery for new life.

"In terms of timing, this year's first wave of migratory birds has arrived at Yanchiwan consistently with previous years. We expect the peak migration return in early April," says Yang Jucai, head of the Yanchiwan Protection Station at the Yanchiwan National Nature Reserve Management Center. "Currently, monitoring equipment has been deployed in key water areas to ensure the safety of the birds' habitat."

Migratory birds are spotted at Gansu Yanchiwan Wetlands in Subei Mongolian autonomous county, Jiuquan, Gansu province, marking the arrival of the early migration season. [Photo provided to gogansu.com]

Part of the Gansu Yanchiwan National Nature Reserve, the Yanchiwan Wetlands lie within a river basin and canyon area formed between the Yema Nanshan and Danghe Nanshan mountains. Featuring a network of rivers, numerous lakes, and interspersed meadows and marshes, the wetlands are a critical stopover and breeding ground for migratory birds on China's western plateau.

In recent years, efforts by local authorities and the Gansu Yanchiwan National Nature Reserve have significantly improved the ecological environment, offering excellent conditions for various rare migratory birds. As a result, the species diversity and population of birds breeding in the area continue to rise. According to reports, the survival rate of hatchlings at the Yanchiwan Wetlands exceeded 85 percent as of 2024.