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”.
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
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.