During a local biodiversity baseline survey, researchers spotted two adult oriental white storks foraging freely in rice paddies at Yema village, Hailing district of Taizhou, Jiangsu province.
The birds, China's first-class protected avian species, are highly sensitive to wetland quality and human disturbance, and are listed as a key ecological indicator species in Jiangsu province.
An oriental white stork is spotted in rice paddies at Yema village, Hailing district, Taizhou. [Photo/Xinhua Daily]
Historically, oriental white storks only passed through Taizhou as winter migratory visitors, with no previously recorded breeding activity in Hailing district. The two individuals found this time show no fear of local residents, lingering less than 100 meters from the nearest household. No fences or isolation barriers separate the birds and villagers, creating a peaceful, undisturbed coexistence scene.
This rare sight comes after years of targeted wetland restoration and habitat diversification efforts across Taizhou. In recent years, the city's continuously improved ecological environment has already supported confirmed breeding records for the species in Xinghua and Taixing, two county-level cities of Taizhou, marking a remarkable shift from transient migratory visits to long-term local residency.