Breeding ground attracts birds, tourists
Along a roughly 15-mile stretch of the river winding through Wandian Dai township in Baoshan city, nearly 2,000 birds arrive each breeding season, drawn by the warm, humid climate and plentiful trees that make this reach an ideal breeding ground, according to the local environmental protection bureau.
'Every early April, they return from their wintering grounds — possibly in neighbouring Southeast Asian countries and other parts of Yunnan — to Wandian,' said Zhao Yantong, deputy director of the environmental protection bureau of Baoshan. 'Nest-building peaks in May and June, and by early September they begin to depart.'
Building a single nest is no small undertaking. Within 20 to 25 days, a male bird weaves thousands of grass stems into a sturdy pouch, hanging it from a branch. This structure is both his workshop and his showcase — a flawless nest increases the chances of attracting a mate.
Courtship hinges on craftsmanship. A visiting female bird inspects the nearly completed nest and either approves or rejects it. Only after a female's nod does the male finish his nest.
'If she rejects the nest, she flies off to another suitor,' Zhao said. In that case, the male will dismantle or abandon his work and start from scratch, repeating the process until he wins her approval.
Local conservation efforts have been critical to the birds' decadelong flourishing in the area. The Mengboluo River, part of the Nujiang River watershed, flows through a protected corridor where evergreen trees, flame trees, mango groves and bamboo thickets remain untouched. In recent years, authorities have banned mining and deforestation along the riverbanks, and tightened regulations on construction and waste disposal.
'Last year, all of our water quality monitoring stations reported good results, and daily air quality was classified as either excellent or good,' Zhao added, underscoring the healthy environment that supports diverse wildlife.
Local outreach has bolstered protection efforts through leaflets, door-to-door visits and community workshops, which help villagers learn to cherish and safeguard the weavers' habitat.
As the bird population grows, so does ecotourism.
Their unique nesting habits attract many tourists. One photographer from Zhejiang province travelled more than 1,800 miles to capture the birds. 'Seeing these weavers and their nests up close is like witnessing a master craftsman's work,' he told local media.
The birds' seasonal breeding also brings economic benefits.
'Every breeding season, bird-watchers from across the country arrive, generating income for locals with transportation, dining and lodging,' said Yu Fei, an official of the Wandian Dai township. 'Next, we plan to further develop our bird-watching economy and designate specific viewing zones, so tourists can enjoy the spectacle without disturbing the weavers.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
6 days ago
- BBC News
Teesside waste incinerator gets environmental green light
A controversial waste incinerator has received a permit from the Environment Agency (EA). Campaigners had previously claimed the Tees Valley Energy Recovery Facility (TVERF), which will be built at Teesworks in Grangetown, Redcar, would be "unfair and dangerous".Seven local authorities across north-east England will use the facility, burning up to 450,000 tonnes of waste per year, to generate energy, according to official Ian Preston said he wanted to "reassure" people that the permit ensured "robust levels" of environmental protections would be met. Developer Viridor declined to comment. The EA said permits were only issued if it was satisfied the operator would be able to comply and had "appropriate systems" in place to run the incinerator "without causing harm to the environment, human health or wildlife". The move follows the EA launching a second consultation over the plans in May. The body held its first consultation over whether or not to grant an environmental permit to the project late last year. The incinerator, which already has planning permission, is yet to be built. It is understood it will be up and running in late 2029. The site will take waste from homes in Newcastle, Durham, Darlington, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough, as well as Stockton and Redcar and Cleveland council City Council's director of operations and regulatory services previously said there were no "affordable alternative" to the group Stop Incineration North East had previously protested against the incinerator arguing that people's waste should be recycled rather than partners from TVERF previously said facilities like the planned Energy from Waste (EfW) incinerator were a "reliable and safe technology" which had been subject to "intense regulatory and academic scrutiny over decades of operation"."The project represents the safest, most reliable and most sustainable way to manage our region's residual waste," they said. Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- The Guardian
Melbourne creek turns bright blue after construction chemicals wash into waterway
A creek in Melbourne's north-east has turned a lurid blue after chemicals used in construction of a major road project washed into the waterway. The Environmental Protection Agency began investigating after a community member reported blue discoloration in the waters of Banyule creek, south of Lower Plenty Road in Rosanna, on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the EPA said. The likely source had been traced to a dust suppressant used in the construction of the Victorian government's North East Link project (NELP). Banyule creek runs through an important wildlife corridor, particularly at Creek Bend Reserve, a 5.6ha linear park peppered with river red-gums and native grassy woodlands. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Photos shared on social media by a community group on Wednesday afternoon showed the creek a fluorescent blue. Banyule city council said in a statement that it shared the community's concern about the pollution and was working with the EPA and Melbourne Water to understand what caused the incident and manage any consequences of it. 'While we discussed the possibility of local council drains being involved, we've been advised that our drainage system is not considered a source of the pollution,' the council said. 'Our teams will continue to work alongside EPA and Melbourne Water, inspecting downstream areas and monitoring for any ongoing effects. We're committed to protecting our local environment and supporting the agencies managing this incident.' Clean-up duties for pollution incidents fall to the duty-holder, or the party responsible – in this case, likely a contractor to the road project – in consultation with the EPA. The NELP is part of the Victorian government's Big Build, involving the construction of more than 6km of freeway tunnels, and estimated to cost more than $26bn. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion NELP was cleaning up the waterway, the EPA spokesperson said. 'EPA will monitor the project which will now assess how to ensure such incidents are not repeated. EPA investigations and assessments of any harm to the environment are continuing.' A spokesperson from Major Road Projects Victoria said the department was aware of the pollution in the creek. 'There is no threat to the local community,' the spokesperson said. 'The site clean-up is under way – however we recommend locals keep away from the creek until reviews have concluded. We will continue to work closely with the Environment Protection Authority to ensure impacts to the local environment are minimised.'
BBC News
15-07-2025
- BBC News
Birdland penguin chicks introduced to outdoor enclosure
Two penguin chicks hand-reared at a bird park are being introduced to their outdoor park in Bourton-on-the-Water, in Gloucestershire, is gradually introducing the pair of Humboldt penguin chicks to their other young chicks, reared in the nest by first-time parents Broady and Kat, and Big Mac and Cookie, have also begun venturing out independently into public park has said the chicks are part of their most successful breeding season in almost a decade. The outdoor visits help the chicks to adapt to the sounds, sights and social dynamics of colony life, while giving adult birds time to adjust to the new park has yet to name the new arrivals, with keepers expecting to launch a public naming competition later in the is the first time all three of the park's established breeding pairs have produced viable four healthy chicks thriving and another egg still under close incubation, it is the strongest season since penguins are classed as a species vulnerable to team at Birdland is involved with international monitoring efforts and supports field conservation in Peru through its collaboration with Penguins International.
