Dongtan Nature Reserve observes rare birds
Two pink terns were spotted by research fellows at the Dongtan Nature Reserve, marking the first recorded sight of this specious species at Dongtan in Shanghai's island district of Chongming.
The two pink terns, one male and one female, have started courtship and selected a nesting site, and are expected to spawn and breed in the ecological restoration area.
Since its establishment, the ecological restoration area of Dongtan Nature Reserve has attracted common terns, Saunders' gulls, pied avocets, black-winged stilts, and other waterbirds to nest and breed.
The protected area hosts annual bird monitoring and habitat maintenance, optimizing the restoration area based on the breeding needs of birds. In 2023, more than 100 national first-class protected birds are expected to be breeding here.
Pink terns have a small, straight beak and a swallowtail. After reaching adulthood, the tail is deeply forked, the top of the head is black, the wings are pearl-colored, and the feet are red. They mainly feed on small fish, insects, and marine invertebrates.
The breeding period is from April to June.
