Baiyangdian Lake is dubbed the “kidney of north China,” being an important habitat for wild birds. Thanks to intensified efforts taken to improve the local ecological environment, the water quality of Baiyangdian Lake has reached the best level seen in the last 10 years. In the summer of 2022, more then ten adult baer's pochards were found during the breeding season in Baiyangdian Lake.

Baer's pochards were found during the breeding season in Baiyangdian Lake. Photo by Liu Xun

In 2012, the baer's pochards were listed as critically endangered species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. On February 5, 2021, they were listed as China's first-level national key protected wild animals. Baer's pochards are migratory birds that breed mostly in northeast China, overwintering in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, Fujian and Guangdong coastal. In the winter of 2021, baer's pochards were first observed overwintering in Baiyangdian Lake.

Baiyangdian Lake is now home to 237 species of wild birds,among which 10 species are under national first-class key protection and 43 species are under national second-class key protection.

Editor: Li Wenpei