Rare hornbills spotted in Yingjiang again after decades
On March 7, bird conservationists in Yingjiang county, west Yunnan’s Dehong Dai and Jingpo autonomous prefecture, confirmed that a rare species of hornbill, known as rufous-necked hornbill (Aceros nipalensis), had recently been spotted in the area again after decades.
As Han Lianxian — a famed ornithologist of China — recalls, the last sighting of this particular species has to be dated back the mid-1980s and early 1990s.
Hence, this time’s rediscovery proves that Yingjiang, dubbed the “Paradise of Birds”, is still a habitat of these rare hornbills.
In late February, three rufous-necked hornbills – including two adults and one chick - were found in a video taken by Wang Genhu, a bird enthusiast based in Yingjiang, in the first place.
Later, he returned to the spot where the birds turned up with several conservationists, during which more and clearer images of these hornbills were captured.
According to China’s 2021 List of Wildlife under Special State Protection, rufous-necked hornbill has been categorized as a first-class protected animal.
Rufous-necked hornbills are large-sized hornbills with males measuring between 99 and 122 centimeters, and weighing approximately 2,500 grams.
They, traditionally speaking, inhabit in north India, southwest China and Nepal. However, it is believed that Nepal’s rufous-necked hornbills have completely disappeared due to hunting and inhabit loss.
A member of the Yingjiang Birdwatch Association tells reporter that rufous-necked hornbills live deep in pristine forests, and this is why they have seldomly been spotted by humans throughout years.
The association now has a plan to put more efforts on seeking rufous-necked hornbills around Yingjiang. Through investigating their distribution and habits, conservationists expect to come up with a way to better protect these rare birds and their habitats.
Reporting by Zhu Bianyong, Zhang Rentao, Ai Xiao and Yin Yihu （Dehong Media Group）; trans-editing by Wang Jingzhong