Migratory birds rest at Qilihai Wetland in Ninghe district. [Photo/Qilihai Wetland Management Committee]
Qilihai Wetland in Tianjin's Ninghe district is welcoming large flocks as migratory birds head south for autumn and winter.
Located on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, Qilihai is one of the world's three major ancient coastal wetlands and a natural stopover for migratory birds.
Since this year's autumn migration began, more than 50,000 waterbirds have been recorded passing through, including over 140 Oriental storks and eight white-naped cranes, both national first-class protected wildlife.
In earlier years, aquaculture ponds and scattered development squeezed wetland space, fragmented reed beds, and blocked water flows, shrinking shallows and degrading habitats.
Since launching 10 major ecological protection and restoration projects, management has shifted from water replenishment and planting to systematic restoration. Measures include returning aquaculture ponds to the wetland, connecting water systems, reshaping micro-topography, and opening ecological water channels.
The Qilihai Wetland Management Committee now adjusts water levels according to different birds' habits, creating deep water, shallows, and reed marshes, with scientific reed management controlling density and providing cover. Restored fish, shrimp, and benthic communities have also rebuilt the food chain.
With bird species in the wetland rising from 182 to 308, and annual migratory birds increasing from around 300,000 to 600,000, this model offers a reference for similar wetlands in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.