Bird lovers wanted for upcoming Beijing swift survey

The Beijing Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center is looking for bird lovers across the city to volunteer for the upcoming annual survey of Beijing swifts.

Volunteers will be trained to administer the survey, learn about the birds' habits, and observe and photograph the birds once a week from March to July this year, according to a news release from the center.

In a recruitment plan posted on social media this month, the center said it needed 80 volunteer surveyors. "The goal of the survey is to find out the swift population numbers, nesting sites and breeding rates, as well as their feeding grounds," said Shi Yang, researcher of the center and leader of the swift survey. "The more we know, the better protection we can offer."