How many birds are there in Guangdong Province, China?

What is it about?

Accurate assessment of bird density and abundance forms the foundation for evaluating species threat levels and developing scientific conservation strategies. The Avian Ecology and Evolution Research Team at the Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences conducted a systematic evaluation of bird density and abundance in Guangdong Province using the Maxent model. This analysis integrated field survey data from 2000 to 2020 with the China Birdwatching Records Center database. The study screened 258 bird species meeting model requirements, encompassing 203 forest bird species and 55 waterbird species. The average density of these birds across the province was 1,485 individuals per square kilometer, with the highest densities occurring in the Pearl River Estuary and Leizhou Peninsula (as shown in the figure). Forest birds exhibited an average density of 1,236 individuals per square kilometer, while waterbirds averaged 249 individuals per square kilometer. The study estimated Guangdong's total bird population at approximately 258 million individuals, comprising 215 million forest birds and 43.7 million waterbirds. The most abundant forest bird species include Huet’s Fulvetta (Alcippe hueti) (approximately 28.4 million individuals), Light-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis) and Swinhoe’s White-eye (Zosterops simplex) (each approximately 11.3 million individuals), and Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus) (approximately 10.1 million individuals). Among waterbirds, Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), and Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) were the most abundant, numbering approximately 6.35 million, 5.56 million, and 5.01 million respectively. Additionally, the study assessed 41 bird species in Guangdong Province listed as globally vulnerable (NT level or higher) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) or as nationally key protected birds (Class II or higher). Among these, nine species underwent their first-ever global population assessment. The study also revealed a significant decline in both population density and numbers of birds within the Guangdong Nanling National Nature Reserve between 2012 and 2017. It should be noted that Guangdong Province hosts over 600 bird species, but this study assessed only 258 of them. Therefore, the figure of 258 million birds represents a conservative minimum estimate.

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Photo by Robin Li on Unsplash

Photo by Robin Li on Unsplash