Welcome to
China Bird Watching Network website

Bird watching is becoming increasingly popular in China mainland. In the past couple of years, more and more bird watching societies have been formed. Learn more about these bird watching societies.

This website provides information about this emerging community of bird watchers. It is also hoped that it would facilitate the sharing of experience, birding information, education material and conservation news within the community.

Latest news

The China Bird Report Checklist of Birds of China 2010

This masterpiece is eventually released in March 2010.

Directory of Important Bird Areas in China (Mainland): Key Sites for Conservation

Published by BirdLife International in 2009. After consulting Chinese ornithologists, birdwatching societies in different parts of mainland China and Chinese birdwatchers, the number of IBAs in China (Mainland) increased from 445 in 2004 to 512 in 2009.

China Coastal Waterbird Census Report (9.2005 - 12.2007)

China Coastal Waterbird Census started in September 2005 with the aim of understanding the distribution, migration and seasonal changes of waterbirds along the eastern coast of China mainland through the monthly surveys. It is hoped that results of the census can help in conserving China's biodiversity and Important Bird Areas. The book incorporates the reports written by the coordinators based on the data collected from September 2005 to December 2007.

Publication of the 2007 "China Bird Report"

Published by the China Ornithological Society.The record covers a total of 1070 species from 68 families and 16 orders, which is about 80% of the total bird species recorded in China.These records include one species which is newly described by science, three species which are additions to the national checklist, and a suite of species which are additions at provincial-level. In terms of globally-threatened species on the IUCN red-list, the current report includes four Critically-endangered species, 10 Endangered species, and 42 Vulnerable species, whilst also highlighting species under National Protection Class I.

Rare Birds Yearbook 2008

Published by the BirdLife International in November 2007, this is a book about the 189 rarest birds (those categorized as Critically Endangered on a global scale) with the objective to describe the situation of these birds in a comprehensible and popular way and to attract and involve persons who have not dedicated their lives to birds, but also engage those who have. £4.00 will be donated to BirdLife International for the protection and conservation of these exclusive species for every book sold. To order, please click here.

Publication of the 2006 "China Bird Report"

Published by the China Ornithological Society.The record covers a total of 1078 species from 70 families and 17 orders (55 species more than that in the 2005 Report), which is about 80% of the total bird species recorded in China.

China Bird Festival 2007

Same as last year, the Festival brings excellent birdwatching atmosphere to China mainland! 12 active birdwatching societies in China join the Festival and hold at least 30 different activities to attract people to go out and watch birds during the wonderful weather of autumn. For activity details and up-to-date news about the Festival, please click here (in Chinese).

The first China Bird Festival

This year is the first time for birdwatching societies in China to join the BirdLife International's World Bird Festival. 12 birdwatching societies organized excellent and attractive activities which created a wonderful birdwatching atmosphere in October 2006!

ChinaBirdNet Forum

This forum is treated as a platform for different bird watching societies in China to communicate with each other and the "Birder Inquiry" there is a place for birders to ask questions about bird identification and birding. The "Overseas News" is a convenient place for them to notice overseas news about birding and bird conservation in other parts of the world.

Conference on Organizational Development of Bird Watching Societies in China (2006) organized by the China Ornithological Society and the Chengdu Bird Watching Society and supported by Darwin Initiative and the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society was completed successfully in Chengdu in 1-2 May 2006. Summary and conclusion of the meeting (both in chinese) have been prepared for sharing.

National Coastal Waterbird Survey - Coordinated by volunteers, cover sites including in Guangdong, Hong Kong, Fujian, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Heibei, Tianjin, Shangdong, etc. The next survey is scheduled on 16 April.

A Database of the Birds of China - now has 18,097 images of 1,163 species!

The database is a collaboration between China Ornithological Society and Shenzhen Bird Watching Society.

China Bird Gallery - now has 44,798 images of 990 species!

Developed by an active volunteer, the gallery provides a user-friendly way to search for pictures according geographical location.

Conservation updates

Wild birds and avian flu
- BirdLife International statement
- Avian flu: update information
- Advice to birdwatchers
- Advice for public authorities

• Resolution on HPAI at the 9th Conference of Contracting Parties of the Ramsar Convention (Kampala, Uganda, November 2005)
• Resolution on HPAI at the 8th Conference of Contracting Parties of the Convention on Migratory Species (Nairobi, Kenya, November 2005)

Important Bird Areas and potential Ramsar Sites in Asia launched at the 9th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Wetlands or Ramsar Convention (Ramsar COP9) in Kampala, Uganda in November 2005. The book identifies 1,111 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) which contain wetland areas that qualify as Ramsar Sites. Besides the official designated ones in Asia, about 89% of the potential sites identified in the BirdLife International report have not yet been afforded protection under the Ramsar Convention. >> More info

New!! Other conservation updates can be found here.