Rare Chinese egrets appear in Xiamen, SE China's Fujian

Chinese egrets rest on guardrails in Xiang'an district, Xiamen city, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Photo/Chen Hao)

Flocks of rare Chinese egrets have appeared in Xiang'an district, Xiamen city, southeast China's Fujian Province.

The bird species is under first-class state protection in China, and was added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.

Thanks to the improving ecological environment of Xiamen in recent years, Chinese egrets often appear in the city, said Chen Hao, deputy director of Xiamen Birdwatching Association, adding that they usually arrive in the city around April and leave in June.