Several Picrocephala Storks Spotted at Kunming Cuihu Park
Shoppers Gather at Cuihu Lake
“What kind of bird is this, so beautiful wings, so big mouth.” At 3:00 PM on March 13th, near Cuihu Hotel on Cuihu South Road in Kunming, many bird watchers were photographing birds in Dongtang in the east pond of Cuihu Park. About 20 people were photographing birds. ‘Long gun short cannon,’ it was quite a racket.
Picrocephala
What bird attracted them? Upon closer inspection, it turned out that some new birds had recently arrived in Cuihu’s lotus pond. These birds looked like herons, with long legs, gray-black feathers, and long beaks. Especially their beaks were like pliers, which was very special. They leaned against the water, sometimes walking to the surface to forage for food, and soon they could see birds catching food.
Picrocephala
Picrocephala
Is this bird? Some citizens were asking bird photographers.
“This is a picrocephala, they just appeared in Cuihu, I discovered them on March 10th, there were about 60 at that time, and there are only a dozen or so now.” A bird watcher said, ‘I have never seen this bird in Cuihu before.’
Another photographer said: ‘It’s really not easy to take good photos. I looked at the lens for a long time, and my eyes were sore.’
Forest Police Hope that Citizens Continue to Participate in Bird Protection
The appearance of picrocephala at Cuihu Park has attracted the attention of the Kunming City Forest Police Bureau. On the afternoon of March 13th, the Kunming City Forest Police Bureau organized police forces to patrol and investigate the situation of picrocephala.
Normally, the forest police in the area mainly patrolled and protected red-crested pochard. Recently, citizens reported that picrocephala appeared in Cuihu Park. The Kunming City Forest Police Bureau officers were particularly concerned. ‘Their appearance in Cuihu indicates that the ecology of Kunming is getting better. The arrival of picrocephala also brought a new and beautiful landscape to citizens. This bird is a migratory bird and a wild animal.’ The police appealed to citizens to continue to participate in bird protection and not to harm or frighten them.
Picrocephala
2006, this bird was first recorded in China
Kunming Bird Association Vice Secretary Wang Zhi bin introduced that picrocephala originally lived in Southeast Asian tropical regions, distributed in India and Southeast Asia, belongs to the heron family, mainly eats grass, fish, and shrimp, and was listed in the 2013 Red List of the World Conservation Union as a vulnerable species. picrocephala’s wingspan when fully extended reached 81cm, the body was large, with a body length of 81cm, with grayish-white plumage, gray-black plumage in winter, and black flight feathers and tail feathers, the lower mandible had a depression, the beak was closed with a distinct gap, the iris was white to brown, the facial skin was gray-black, the beak was a pale green-colored horn or red, and the feet were pink. ‘Picrocephala is a migratory bird, a highly social animal, and forms mixed flocks with other herons and waterfowl, nesting in large trees, such as gray egrets.’
Wang Zhi bin said that on October 3, 2006, it appeared in Xihuzhu Lake, Eryuan, Dali, Yunnan, China, which was the first record in China. However, in recent years, many places in Yunnan have appeared this bird, such as Dali, Kunming, and Kunming, which indicates that these places are still suitable for the survival of this bird. Coupled with the increased awareness of people protecting animals, the birds feel safer and are closer to people.
Yunnan Net Reporter Zhao Li Hao Communication Zhang Qiyi Photography Report
