An eagle-eyed birdwatcher spotted more than 20 endangered Asian openbill storks for the first time ever in Nayong county, Guizhou province, on May 1.

The white-feathered birds with glossy black wings and tail were seen by local photographer Zhu Fei on the banks of the Shuzhong River in Nayong county.

Earlier in 2010, Asian openbill storks were found in Guiyang Hongfenghu scenic spot; later more were spotted in other districts and counties in Guizhou, such as Huaxi, Caohai scenic spot, Pingba, Anshun, and Fanjing Mountain. The largest flock had nearly 200 birds.

Asian openbill storks feature white and grey feathers and have a wingspan of about 81 centimeters. They mainly inhabit India and Southeast Asia and migrate during the breeding season. They are listed on the 2013 Red List of Threatened Species by the International Union of Conservation of Nature.

Endangered Asian openbill storks are spotted by a photographer in Nayong county, Guizhou, on May 1. [Photo/gog.com]

Edited by Owen Fishwick