Endangered storks flock to reserve in record numbers

During their regular patrol to monitor birds in autumn, rangers with Naolihe National Nature Reserve in Heilongjiang province recorded a gathering of more than 700 Oriental storks, an endangered water bird.

According to Birdlife International, a global partnership of organizations that strives to conserve birds, the population of the large white birds with black wing feathers and long black bills is estimated at 3,000.

"We had never seen such a big aggregation before in our reserve," said Cui Xingbo, a ranger there. "I haven't heard of any bigger aggregation recorded from other nature reserves in the province."