Amazing: thousands of migratory birds making stopover in north China

Tens of thousands of birds on Friday gathered at Tianjin in north China and performed their special dance before they head further north. A special "ritual" was performed, as flocks of black-tailed godwits gathered at the seaside. They flew together, rolling, and diving. Tianjin is a stop along the birds' migratory route from Australia to Russia. Every year, birds stop in Tianjin for a short stay before they take off again for the north.

According to Wang Jianmin, a volunteer for bird protection, more than 30 species of birds have stopped in the city since February, including more than 11,000 relic gulls and more than 30,000 black-tailed godwits. He added that more birds are making a stopover in Tianjin in recent years.

"In recent years, the environment here has been improved. And perhaps something has changed in their old habitats, making here a suitable place for them to breed. For example, redshanks never bred here before, but in recent years, there are more of them breeding here," said Wang. Currently, most of the relic gulls have left Tianjin. Black-tailed godwits and shelducks will also leave for their next destination at the end of April.