Lights Out to Let Through Migratory Birds

This photo taken on Sept. 19, 2023 with a mobile phone shows a station set up for bird protection in Lanshan County, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Liu Wangmin)

CHANGSHA, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- At 8:30 p.m., the high-beam lamps at a square went off on time. With the hustle and bustle fading gradually, the birds hovering over the square flew by.

Even during the just-concluded eight-day holiday for the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day -- occasions traditionally for festive illuminations, Lanshan County in central China's Hunan Province extinguished the lamps every day to have migratory birds pass by.

"Haunted by lights, the birds migrating at night are prone to get lost because of the phototaxis. The lights out program has made way for the birds' migrations," said Zeng Chengbin, an official in charge of road maps from the county's urban management and comprehensive law enforcement bureau, adding that neon lights are also encouraged to be off.

The lights out program initiated in 2020 is part of the county's efforts to protect migratory birds and battle illegal fowling. This year, the program will last till mid-October, the end of the peak migration period.

Located on the northern side of Nanling Mountains, Lanshan County is an important passageway for birds' migrations.

In the past, villagers often lighted up the night on hills to attract the birds and hunt them, leading to a shrinking population of migratory birds.

"Fowling used to be a major source of income for a long time, and almost the entire village was engaged in fowling," recalled Zhang Xiuqiang, 52, one of the former bird hunters.

Things have changed since 2012, when the concept of "beautiful China" was proposed as a grand goal for ecological progress. Fowling was forbidden in the same year in Lanshan and the local people started to explore how to better protect migratory birds and live in harmony with birds.

Making use of the resources of lucid waters and lush mountains, the county has developed ecological tourism, with many former bird hunters, including Zhang, working at tourist resorts. They also serve as part-time guardians at three stations set up for bird protection.

Zhang said they were on duty from 7 p.m. every day to the early morning the next day.

"Now, it's the peak period for birds to fly southward, so we have to be vigilant," he said.

Their efforts have paid off.

According to the latest observation data this year, the number of migratory birds flying over the county has surged to 3.5 million from 2 million in 2012, with the number of species exceeding 100 from 60 in 2012. 

This photo taken on Sept. 19, 2023 with a mobile phone shows Zhang Xiuqiang, a part-time guardian, watching real-time monitor of migratory birds at a station set up for bird protection in Lanshan County, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Liu Wangmin)