Black-breasted Cormorant ‘Visits’ Jiangchuan, Yunnan

Black-breasted Cormorant visits Jiangchuan, Yunnan. Photo provided by

Yunnan Net News (Reporter Li Yafen, Correspondent Qi Haolin, Mo Anguo, Zhang Yeliang) Recently, a group of large birds with white feathers and black tails appeared along the shore of Xingyun Lake and the Xingyun Lake Native Fish Protection Base in Jiangchuan District, Yuxi City, Yunnan Province. After expert identification, this bird species was identified as the Black-breasted Cormorant, also known as the Asian Openbill.

Black-breasted Cormorant 'visits' Jiangchuan, Yunnan. Photo provided by

Black-breasted Cormorants are mainly distributed in Southeast Asia and South Asia. When their wingspan is fully extended, it can reach more than 80 centimeters. The body is large, with plumage white to gray, with smoky gray plumage in winter, and black plumage in flight feathers and tail feathers. The lower beak has a sunken area, and when the beak is closed, there is a clear gap. The Black-breasted Cormorant was listed in the 2013 IUCN Red List – Low Risk (LC), and is a national Grade II protected animal.

Initially, there were two or three, and later the number gradually increased, reaching a maximum of 30. In the mornings and afternoons when people were less, they would come in flocks to forage. 'I first saw them, there were two or three, then the number gradually increased, the most was 30,' said Zhang Si Chun, station director of the Jiangchuan District Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Station. 'Black-breasted Cormorants are large migratory birds. They migrate from spring to June. The main food of Black-breasted Cormorants is fish, shrimp, crab, shellfish, etc. Jiangchuan is known as 'Highland Water Town'. In recent years, the ecological environment of Xingyun Lake has been continuously improving, and the Xingyun Lake shoreline wetlands have provided an ideal habitat for migratory Black-breasted Cormorants due to suitable climate conditions.'

On Xingyun Lake, the 'big spirits' were seen in groups of three or five, leisurely foraging and playing, fully enjoying the warm spring sunshine, forming a unique and harmonious landscape, making Xingyun Lake in early spring full of vitality and even more charming.