This page is updated regularly with significant wildlife news from Beijing Municipality. It is produced from multiple sources, including sightings reported on eBird, birdreport.cn, via WeChat groups, emails etc. Please note that records of birds sensitive to disturbance, for example wintering or breeding owls, great bustards etc. will not be reported or will be reported with only vague location information.
If you would like to report any sightings, please use the contact form below and include species, location, date/time and observer details. Photographs for publication are also welcome and can be submitted to Terry via WeChat, email or other means. Many thanks.
The latest Beijing sightings on eBird can be found here. The latest sightings on birdreport.cn can be found here (search for Beijing 北京). Historical wildlife news can be found here. A basic summary of the Status of the Birds of Beijing can be found here.
If you are interested in organised bird walks, a local group in Beijing called the Friends of Nature arranges walks in nine of Beijing’s parks. Information can be found via their WeChat account – search for “fonbird”.
There are also a number of local young birders with good English who are available for bespoke trips within and around Beijing. Please contact me via this web page, including dates and number of people and any preferences, and I will do my best to find you a local guide.
Beijing-based British birder Paul Holt also regularly organises half-days to local birding sites – you can follow his WeChat channel (written by his wife, in Chinese) for the latest information. Search for “Paul去观鸟” (Paul goes birdwatching).
If you find a sick or injured bird or animal that requires specialist care, please call the Wildlife Rescue Centre on +86 (10) 89496118 or, for birds of prey, the Raptor Rescue Centre on +86 (10) 62205666.
If you find illegal mist-nets or witness any illegal activity involving wild birds or animals in Beijing, please take photographs and note the location, then immediately call the police on 110. There is English-language service available. Note that, due to increased awareness by the public, poachers are most active in the two hours before sunrise and will often be gone by dawn.
For historical wildlife news from Beijing, click here.
2026 Wildlife News
11 November 2026
The Varied Tit Sittiparus varius 杂色山雀 Zá sè shān què still at the Yuandadu Relic Park (many observers)
1 Black-throated Loon (Diver) Gavia arctica 黑喉潜鸟 Hēi hóu qián niǎo, Huairou Reservoir (chchign)
10 November 2026
The Varied Tit Sittiparus varius 杂色山雀 Zá sè shān què still at the Yuandadu Relic Park (many observers)
9 November 2026
1 Varied Tit Sittiparus varius 杂色山雀 Zá sè shān què at the Yuandadu Relic Park (Far West) (Alice Li).
31 October 2026
1 Oriental Plover Anarhynchus veredus. 东方鸻 Dōng fāng héng, Ma Chang (Komma komma et al.). A rare autumn record.
24 October 2026
The two Mongolian Accentor Prunella koslowi still present at Yangtaishan Rosefields, Miaofengshan.
23 October 2026
2 Mongolian Accentor Prunella koslowi, Miaofengshan (original observer unknown). The first record for Beijing.
19 October
1 Yellow Darter (Sympetrum croceolum), Changping District (Terry Townshend).
18 October 2026
1 Brown Accentor Prunella fulvescens 褐岩鹨 Hè yán liù, Yangtaishan Rosefields, Miaofengshan (Komma Komma)
1 Lesser Whitethroat Curruca curruca 白喉林莺 Báihóu lín yīng, Yeyahu (铭俊 黄)
1 Besra Tachyspiza virgata 松雀鹰 Sōng què yīng, Baiwangshan (螳螂 肚子 et al.). For a photo, see here.
7 October 2026
1 Mugimaki Flycatcher Ficedula mugimaki 鸲姬鹟 Qú jī wēng, Temple of Heaven Park (Li Hongyang et al.)
28 September 2026
The (juvenile) Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus 红颈瓣蹼鹬 Hóng jǐng bàn pǔ yù, 潮河白河交汇处 (confluence of the Chao He and Bai He), Miyun District still present (鸢 黑).
27 September 2026
1 (juvenile) Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus 红颈瓣蹼鹬 Hóng jǐng bàn pǔ yù, 潮河白河交汇处 (confluence of the Chao He and Bai He), Miyun District (雨后阳光).
21 September 2026
One (juvenile) Blue and White Flycatcher Cyanoptila cyanomelana 白腹姬鹟 Bái fù jī wēng reported from the Agricultural Exhibition Center (Quan G). The difficulty of separating juvenile Zappey’s and Blue and White means that this record should be treated with caution.
20 September 2026
1 Slaty-blue Flycatcher Ficedula tricolor 灰蓝姬鹟 Huī lán jī wēng, Gonghuacheng Peninsula, Shahe Reservoir (Paul Holt et al.)
19 September 2026
One (juvenile) Northern (Rufous) Hawk-cuckoo Hierococcyx hyperythrus 北鹰鹃 Běi yīng juān, Agricultural Exhibition Center (first observer unknown).
16 September 2026
1 Red (Grey) Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius 灰瓣蹼鹬 Huī bàn pǔ yù, Olympic Forest Park North (大灰狼开始种花了 on 小红书).
4 August 2026
One (juvenile) Brown-headed Gull Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus 棕头鸥 Zōng tóu ōu, YuHe Wetland Park, Haidian District (漫漫9981 via birdreport.cn)
27 July 2026
After last year’s surprise of a leopard cat being photographed by an infrared camera along the Wenyu River in Chaoyang District, further evidence of leopard cat has been discovered. In June, during the monthly biodiversity survey, fresh scat that was suspected to be leopard cat was collected. Analysis by Peking University revealed that it was indeed from a leopard cat and subsequently, in July, images have been caught by infrared cameras along the same stretch of river. The area is one of the few remaining relatively undisturbed and unmanaged areas of habitat and it is hoped that the area can be included as a ‘wild zone’ as part of the Wenyu River Park project. An article by CCTV about the discovery can be found here.
7 June 2026
1 BROWN-BREASTED FLYCATCHER Muscicapa muttui 褐胸鹟 Hè-xiōng wēng, Xiaolongmen (Daisy Yan)
1 BROWNISH-FLANKED BUSH WARBLER Horornis fortipes 强脚树莺 Qiáng-jiǎo shù-yīng, Miaofengshan (Hausys)
6 June 2026
1 GREY-BACKED SHRIKE Lanius tephronotus 灰背伯劳 Huī bèi bó láo, Lingshan (张家铭、武博文、李沅桐). Possibly only the second documented record for Beijing.
4 June 2026
1 (adult male) LITTLE BITTERN Ixobrychus minutus 小苇鳽 Xiǎo wěi jiān at Shahe Reservoir (Zhao Qilin). The first record for Beijing.
1 WHITE WAGTAIL of the alboides race, Qinglong Lake, Fengtai District (王一骁, 李雨箫, 刘睿思, 季心诺, 张宇桐). The first record of this race in Beijing. See here.
2 June 2026
A rare encounter with a Masked Palm Civet Paguma larvata 花面狸 Huā miàn lí in Huairou District caught on a dashboard camera by William Lindesay.
30 May 2026
1 SPOTTED BUSH WARBLER Locustella thoracica 斑胸短翅莺 Bān xiōng duǎn chì yīng singing at the HuaiSha River, Huairou District (Paul Holt). The first record for Beijing.
24 May 2026
1 WHITE-BELLIED GREEN PIGEON Treron sieboldii 红翅绿鸠 Hóng chì lǜ jiū photographed in the Temple of Heaven Park (via Friends of Nature). The first record for Beijing.
23 May 2026
1 NORTHERN BOOBOOK Ninox japonica 日本鹰鸮 Rì běn yīng xiāo singing at the Belgian Ambassador’s residence, Chaoyang District (Bruno Angelet).
4 SIBERIAN SAND PLOVER Anarhynchus mongolus 西伯利亚沙鸻 Xī bó lì yǎ shā héng, Ma Chang (梦伊 许)
1 ASHY DRONGO Dicrurus leucophaeus 灰卷尾 Huī juàn wěi at the Beijing Happy Holiday Hotel (北京快乐假日大酒店), Yanqing District (Junning Wang); and one at 神山村沙河, Huairou District (雨箫 李)
13 May 2026
1 CHINESE BLUE FLYCATCHER Cyornis glaucicomans 中华仙鹟 Zhōnghuá xiān wēng, Botanical Gardens (小兔子 via 小红书）
12 May 2026
1 NARCISSUS FLYCATCHER Ficedula narcissina 黄眉姬鹟 Huángméijī wēng, XuanWu Yiyuan (multiple observers)
1 LESSER ADJUTANT Leptoptilos javanicus 秃鹳 Tū guàn (of unknown origin) photographed soaring over Baiwangshan raptor watchpoint (Friends of Nature).
11 May 2026
1 GREY-HEADED CANARY FLYCATCHER Culicicapa ceylonensis 方尾鹟 Fāng wěi wēng, Botanical Gardens (鸢 黑).
9 May 2026
1 male WESTERN YELLOW WAGTAIL Motacilla flava 西黄鹡鸰 Xī huáng jí líng of the race ‘feldeggi‘ photographed on 9 May 2026 at Ma Chang (黄铭俊 张芮源 王骏宁)
1 BLACK EAGLE Ictinaetus malaiensis 林雕 Lín diāo, Baiwangshan (Baiwangshan raptor count). The second record for Beijing, after one on 16 April 2026 at Guǐ xiào shí, Shijingshan District.
8 May 2026
1 BLACK BAZA Aviceda leuphotes 黑冠鹃隼 Hēi guān juān sǔn, Changlingying Village, Tongzhou on 8 May 2026 (高巍、李伟卿). Possibly only the second record for Beijing.
29 April 2026
1 GREY-HEADED CANARY FLYCATCHER Culicicapa ceylonensis 方尾鹟 Fāng wěi wēng, Yuanmingyuan (yan zhou)
26 April 2026
1 VERDITER FLYCATCHER Eumyias thalassinus 铜蓝鹟 Tóng lán wēng, Temple of Heaven Park (multiple observers)
1 VERDITER FLYCATCHER Eumyias thalassinus 铜蓝鹟 Tóng lán wēng, Peking University campus (hunt h)
22 April 2026
1 CHINESE BLUE FLYCATCHER Cyornis glaucicomans 中华仙鹟 Zhōnghuá xiān wēng, XuanWu Art Garden, Xicheng District (multiple observers). Possibly only the third Beijing record.
19 April 2026
At least 20 Oriental Fire-bellied Toad Bombina orientalis 东⽅铃蟾 Dōng fāng líng chán at Xishan National Forest Park (Terry Townshend)
Oriental Fire-bellied Toad Bombina orientalis 东⽅铃蟾 Dōng fāng líng chán, 19 April 2025 (Terry Townshend)
A chorus of Oriental Fire-bellied Toad Bombina orientalis 东⽅铃蟾 Dōng fāng líng chán, 19 April 2025 (Terry Townshend)
12 April 2026
Amphibians are out in force.
Dark-spotted Frogs (Pelophylax nigromaculatus ⿊斑侧褶蛙 Hēi bān cè zhě wā) in amplexus. The most common amphibian in Beijing. Can be found in lakes and rivers in lowland Beijing, including the Summer Palace, Olympic Forest Park, Wenyu River etc. The image above from 12 April shows a female of the unusual black and white form.
The much scarcer Mongolian Toad (Strauchbufo raddei 花背蟾蜍 Huā bèi chánchú) prefers sandy habitats with pools and shallow lakes.
8 March 2026
The two EURASIAN BULLFINCH Pyrrhula pyrrhula 红腹灰雀 Hóng fù huī què still in the Botanical Gardens (鸢 黑 and Wang Juncheng)
3 February 2026
At least two WHITE-CROWNED PENDULINE TIT Remiz coronatus 白冠攀雀 Bái guān pān què, Songzhuang Water Retention Basin, Tongzhou District (Terry Townshend)
28 January 2026
1 (2cy) PALLAS’S GULL Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus 渔鸥 Yú ōu, Shahe Reservoir (lin ding et al.)
22 January 2026
The two EURASIAN BULLFINCH Pyrrhula pyrrhula 红腹灰雀 Hóng fù huī què still in the Botanical Gardens (Jun Shuai).
16 January 2026
The FIELDFARE Turdus pilaris 田鸫 Tián dōng and EUROPEAN ROBIN Erithacus rubecula 欧亚鸲 Ōu yà qú still in Temple of Heaven Park.
15 January 2026
Up to 3 YELLOWHAMMER Emberiza citrinella 黄鹀 Huáng wú still at XiaoCao Village, Miyun District
11 January 2026
1 FIELDFARE Turdus pilaris 田鸫 Tián dōng outside Temple of Heaven Park (丰色).
Up to 3 YELLOWHAMMER Emberiza citrinella 黄鹀 Huáng wú, XiaoCao Village, Miyun District
The EUROPEAN ROBIN Erithacus rubecula 欧亚鸲 Ōu yà qú still in Temple of Heaven Park (arboretum).
9 January 2026
1 CHESTNUT BULBUL Hemixos castanonotus 栗背短脚鹎 Lì bèi duǎn jiǎo bēi near Shisanling, Changping District (麒麟). Plus 1 REDWING Turdus iliacus 白眉歌鸫 Bái méi gē dōng in the same area.
7 January 2026
2 YELLOWHAMMER Emberiza citrinella 黄鹀 Huáng wú, XiaoCao Village, Miyun District
5 January 2026
2 SOLITARY SNIPE Gallinago solitaria 孤沙锥 Gū shā zhuī, Daihuangyang River, Miyun District (Ross Zhang)
1 PALE THRUSH Turdus pallidus 白腹鸫 Bái fù dōng photographed in BeiHai Park on 1 January 2026 (王淑玲).
For historical wildlife news from Beijing, click here.