A large wading bird with a white head and orange beak was recently spotted by bird watchers in Maoming. Expert identification revealed that it was a painted stork (mycteria leucocephala), a national key protected wild bird.

At present, the global population of painted storks is believed to be between 16,000 and 24,000, in which they can mainly be found from the South Asia subcontinent to Southeast Asia's mainland.

Painted storks in Maoming. [Photo/WeChat account: maofabu]

Since being designated as a National Forest City, Maoming has continuously strengthened its biodiversity protection efforts. It has also actively carried out wildlife protection, as well as habitat protection and restoration efforts. With the whole region strengthening its ecological protection, the city's forest coverage rate has steadily increased. As a result, its forest volume has continued to grow, leading to appearance of many rare wild animals in Maoming.

In April 2021, black-faced spoonbills, a national class I protected bird, appeared on a tidal flat in Bohe Bay.

Black-faced spoonbills in Maoming. [Photo/WeChat account: maofabu]

In April 2020, bird-watching enthusiasts photographed more than 10 Chinese penduline tits near an open-pit mine ecological park. This was the first time that Chinese penduline tits appeared in Maoming.

Chinese penduline tits in Maoming. [Photo/WeChat account: maofabu]