Oriental storks find shelter in Shandong

Editor's note: As protection of the planet's flora, fauna and resources becomes increasingly important, China Daily is publishing a series of stories to illustrate the country's commitment to safeguarding the natural world.

On a sweltering late afternoon in June, a tour bus navigated a private road flanked by verdant grass in the Shandong Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve. Towering reeds stood erect in the wetlands, which reflected the blue sky and its billowing white clouds.

The bus passed a power line pole, on top of which a nest was perched. The nest was sheltering two black and white birds, one standing and the other squatting.

"These two birds are oriental storks that enjoy first-level State protection," said Hu Yuwei, a tour guide in the nature reserve. "You're lucky to be on this bus, because the breeding season for this species will be over shortly. It runs from February to early July, and once the fledglings have learned to fly, they tend to favor wetlands in the central area rather than nest high up on power line poles, making them hard to spot.

"Seen from below, the birds, with their long beaks, necks and legs, seem to be much smaller than they really are," Hu said.

The oriental stork, with red skin encircling its eyes — which some jokingly refer to as eyeliner — stands out from other stork species, she said.

The number of oriental storks is severely depleted, mainly because of habitat loss and overhunting, and they are listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. To address the problem, diligent conservation measures taken by the city of Dongying, Shandong province, have resulted in the species now being frequently seen in an area in which it had once never set foot.