Glossy ibises — elegant, iridescent birds whose feathers flash different colors as the angle of light changes — have been spotted at an agricultural base in Hubei province. [Photo by Chen Dezhi/for chinadaily.com.cn]
Glossy ibises — elegant, iridescent birds whose feathers flash different colors as the angle of light changes — have been spotted at an agricultural base in Hubei province.
The ibises, which are under first-class national protection, have been called the "panda of birds" because of their rarity. Once thought to be extinct in China, they have appeared in a handful of places in recent years.
This is the second consecutive year that the long-legged, wading waterfowl have been seen at the base, which cultivates shrimp and rice.
Glossy ibises — elegant, iridescent birds whose feathers flash different colors as the angle of light changes — have been spotted at an agricultural base in Hubei province. [Photo by Chen Dezhi/for chinadaily.com.cn]
The shimmering birds were recorded by Chen Dezhi, a member of a bird watching association in the Jianghan Oilfield area. In 2020, Chen observed seven of the ibises at the base, five from the same family.
The appearance of the birds and their number indicate that the agricultural base and the surrounding area may be a breeding site.
Located along the banks of the Hanjiang River in the hinterlands of the Jianghan Plain, the oilfield has promoted a plan for ecological protection and has made progress in supplying clean resources and reducing pollutants and carbon emissions.
It has built up a healthy environment joining rice paddies with shrimp breeding, organic farming and natural control of crop diseases.
Glossy ibises — elegant, iridescent birds whose feathers flash different colors as the angle of light changes — have been spotted at an agricultural base in Hubei province. [Photo by Chen Dezhi/for chinadaily.com.cn]
Glossy ibises — elegant, iridescent birds whose feathers flash different colors as the angle of light changes — have been spotted at an agricultural base in Hubei province. [Photo by Chen Dezhi/for chinadaily.com.cn]
Glossy ibises — elegant, iridescent birds whose feathers flash different colors as the angle of light changes — have been spotted at an agricultural base in Hubei province. [Photo by Chen Dezhi/for chinadaily.com.cn]
Glossy ibises — elegant, iridescent birds whose feathers flash different colors as the angle of light changes — have been spotted at an agricultural base in Hubei province. [Photo by Chen Dezhi/for chinadaily.com.cn]
Glossy ibises — elegant, iridescent birds whose feathers flash different colors as the angle of light changes — have been spotted at an agricultural base in Hubei province. [Photo by Chen Dezhi/for chinadaily.com.cn]
Glossy ibises — elegant, iridescent birds whose feathers flash different colors as the angle of light changes — have been spotted at an agricultural base in Hubei province. [Photo by Chen Dezhi/for chinadaily.com.cn]
Glossy ibises — elegant, iridescent birds whose feathers flash different colors as the angle of light changes — have been spotted at an agricultural base in Hubei province. [Photo by Chen Dezhi/for chinadaily.com.cn]
