On 18 February, good news came from Qidong: Qidong winter biodiversity observation work which was in progress got gratifying achievement, batches of world rare birds and national treasure species gathered at Yuantuojiao of Qidong to ‘celebrate the new year’ together. Apart from old friends including Chinese black-headed gull and curlew, new friend came —— China animal protection at the national level, IUCN vulnerable (VU) species, Indicator species of ecological environment quality in Jiangsu Province —— relict gull.

The honorable guest with moonstruck eyes is the new species in this round of observation. Relict gull (Larus relictus), belongs to Laridae, Charadriiformes. As relictus means ‘forgotten’ in Latin, relict gull is the latest recognized type of gull in scientific world in the present. Up to now, we have known them for less than 100 years.

Every autumn migration, relict gull bleeding population at Ordos set off from north-central part of China, flew to Bohai bay along north of North China to spend the winter, coastal intertidal zone of Bohai bay is the center, they radiate to intertidal zones of Yellow Sea and East China Sea. The individual observed at Yuantuojiao this time is likely from this population.

By Peng Junjun