More than 800 white swans have recently flocked to Sanwan Wetland in Pinglu county, Shanxi province for the winter.

Located 6 kilometers southwest of Pinglu county, Sanwan Wetland which is close to the Yellow River covers an area of 3.9 square kilometers and is rich in wildlife. From mid-November to mid-February, over 10,000 white swans and red-billed gulls fly to the wetland to spend the winter months in the food-rich area.

And to help ensure the swans' safety, Pinglu county has built two patrol stations in the wetland area with each town appointing a full-time wildlife ranger responsible for patrolling and feeding.

There are three migration routes for wild swans in China, among which the middle route extends from Russia and Mongolia, via regions in Inner Mongolia autonomous region and Shanxi province along the Yellow River, to the middle reaches of the Yellow River and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

As the environment in Pinglu county has improved in recent years, increasing numbers of the birds have chosen to spend the winter months in the county, with over 10,000 expected to make the journey this year.

White swans pictured at Sanwan Wetland in Pinglu county, Shanxi province, Oct 28. [Photo/Shanxi Daily]

White swans forage for food in Pinglu county, Oct 30. [Photo/Xinhua]