China Reports Strong Recovery in Endangered Bird Populations, Expands AI-Powered Wildlife Protection
New government data show several endangered bird species are rebounding as China combines habitat restoration, legal safeguards and artificial intelligence to strengthen conservation across key migratory flyways.
China has reported significant progress in the recovery of several endangered bird species, with government data showing that populations of many nationally protected birds are now stable or increasing. The latest figures, released by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA), also highlight the country’s growing use of artificial intelligence and smart monitoring technologies to improve wildlife conservation.
According to the NFGA, populations of 19 nationally protected bird species, including the crested ibis, Saunders’s gull, and brown eared-pheasant, have either stabilized or shown sustained growth. The population of the critically endangered Baer’s pochard has risen to 2,555 birds in 2025, more than double the estimated population of around 1,000 recorded in 2012. Meanwhile, the blue-crowned laughingthrush increased from about 550 birds in 2024 to nearly 660, while the green peafowl population has surpassed 1,000 individuals.
China’s nationwide synchronized winter waterbird survey also recorded encouraging results. Conducted in January 2026, the survey counted 6.324 million wintering waterbirds representing 167 species, marking a 158.9% increase compared with the country’s first coordinated survey in 2016 and setting a new national record. Researchers say the figures reflect improved wetland management and strengthened protection of migratory habitats.
The country has continued expanding its conservation network by identifying 1,140 important habitats along major migratory bird flyways. Of these, 821 key sites have been prioritized for ecological restoration and enhanced protection to support breeding, migration and wintering birds. Four of the world’s nine major migratory flyways pass through China, making the country a crucial link in global bird migration.
Technology has become a central pillar of China’s conservation strategy. At the Nandagang Wetland and Bird Nature Reserve in Hebei Province, authorities have upgraded monitoring systems with 21 AI-powered high-definition cameras, nine acoustic monitoring stations, and three intelligent drones. The integrated platform enables conservation teams to detect, identify and monitor birds in remote areas that were previously difficult to patrol, significantly improving surveillance and scientific research.
In Lanshan County in Hunan Province—known as China’s “millennium bird migration corridor”—officials have introduced an AI-powered facial recognition system to identify suspected illegal bird hunters and send real-time alerts to enforcement teams. Authorities report that more than 1,000 drone patrols and 5,000 ground patrols have already been carried out this year using smart monitoring technologies, strengthening protection along critical migration routes.
Alongside technological upgrades, China has also expanded its legal protection framework. Authorities now provide legal protection to 98.4% of the country’s bird species, with 394 species receiving state-level protection and more than 1,000 additional species classified as having significant ecological, scientific or social value. A nationwide multi-agency campaign is also targeting illegal hunting and wildlife trafficking through coordinated enforcement.
Conservation experts say the latest recovery figures demonstrate the benefits of combining habitat restoration, stricter wildlife laws and advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence. However, they caution that continued protection of wetlands, migratory corridors and breeding habitats will remain essential to sustaining long-term population growth as climate change, habitat degradation and illegal wildlife trade continue to pose challenges to bird conservation worldwide.
