This week, April 1-7, is Bird Appreciation Week in China's capital city where over the past 20 years bird species have more than doubled thanks greatly to the municipal government's on-going efforts to promote and protect birds. Today some 350 bird species -- up from 118 species in 1981 -- are finding China's capital city a birds' paradise singing among its trees, open greens and lakes, a director of the municipal wildlife protection department told Beijing Daily.

After the first Bird Appreciation Week was celebrated in 1983, Beijing's forestry and garden departments set up a dozen bird protection workstations, and suburban districts and counties invested several million yuan (1 million yuan=US$120,000) as a way of attracting birds and developing the environment as a tourist attraction. Children helped by setting out some 10,000 bird nests in large parks and forests on the city's outskirts. Large-scale afforestation and reclamation projects paid off by attracting a variety of birds including the heron, swan goose, white-brow duck, pheasant, partridge, quail, rock pigeon, hoopoe, oriole, reed warbler and tomtit. A study found six species -- including the black stork and golden eagle -- that are under first-grade national protection, and 33 species -- including big swan and saker falcon -- that are under second-grade protection.

Beijing's urban areas also have turned into a haven for birds. An official with the municipal wildlife protection station said 14 species of birds now live in various parks with sparrows and magpies the most populous. The four most famous parks in Beijing -- Beihai Park, Temple of Heaven, Palace Museum and Yuanmingyuan -- all have magpies, crows, sparrows and swallows. The parks also have birds that are special to them: Beihai Park with its expanse of water accommodates the mallard and white-head duck. The Temple of Heaven boasts the richest number of species including woodpecker, golden waist swallow, bramble finch and turtledove besides the common sparrow and magpie.

Landscaped reservoirs, of course, provide a good home for birds. Many rivers and reservoirs have been cleaned through waste disposal projects to provide wonderful habitats for birds. More than 100 species alone of birds live in Miyun, Guanting, Huairou and Shisanling reservoirs in Beijing. The rare big swans now appear not only at the city's outskirts, but also in urban parks such as the Palace Museum and Yuanmingyuan, even the lake in the Capital Iron and Steel Company [formerly, a pollution source].

To further increase bio-diversity, Beijing plans to free domestically raised geese and ducks in some waters as well as to put up bird nests and feeders and plant berries in new-growth forests to attract birds. The government will also call on residents to put bird food on balconies and build bird feeding stations.

(Zhang Jun for北京日報 [Beijing Daily] translated by Feng Yikun for china.org.cn April 4, 2002)