China News Service, Dongying, Shandong Province, November 13 (Reporter Zhao Xiao) "There is a fish in the North Ming Dynasty, and its name is Kun. Kun is so big that it is unknown how many thousands of miles away it is; when it turns into a bird, its name is Peng." In the wetlands of the Yellow River Delta in late autumn and early winter, thousands of migratory birds fly in groups, forming a "bird wave" landscape, attracting bird lovers at home and abroad to hear the news. The image of "Kunpeng" in "Zhuangzi·Xiaoyaoyou" shines into reality.
The Yellow River Delta Wetland is located in Dongying, Shandong Province. It is an alluvial plain formed by the sedimentation of the Yellow River. The open waters and lush vegetation here are suitable for bird habitats. It is an important "transit station" for the two migratory bird migration routes from East Asia to Australasia and the Western Pacific Rim.
"Since October this year, the number of single-species clusters of painted-faced ducks has exceeded 280,000. They go out to forage at dusk and return to their nests in the early morning to rest, forming a 'wave of birds' phenomenon that has been widely circulated on the Internet." Shan Kai, a senior engineer at the Shandong Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve, said in an interview that the birds choose habitats mainly for environmental safety and sufficient food. "Bird waves" can appear stably and continue to expand in scale, which intuitively reflects the excellent ecological quality of the reserve.
"The 'Bird Wave' is coming!" Exclaims came from time to time on the bird island in the reserve. Looking as far as the eye can see, flocks of birds soar from the horizon, gathering like clouds and scattering like long rivers, with ever-changing shapes.
"The flock of birds flew from a distance, from gathering to spreading, from a small area to a mighty one. This shocking picture can be remembered for a lifetime." Photographer Dai Jun from Beijing used "long guns and short cannons" to record the moment when thousands of birds turned into "Kun Peng".
British ornithologist Paul Holt, who was on his fourth birdwatching trip to Dongying, said with emotion: "I have been to many places in the world to watch birds, but seeing such a large-scale 'bird wave' is still incredible. It arouses our awareness of protecting birds and protecting the ecology."
The "bird waves" surging in the Dongying Yellow River Delta wetland are transforming from an ecological landscape into a new growth point stimulating cultural tourism consumption.
At popular birdwatching spots such as Dongying Binhai Avenue and Dongba Road, local people sell Yellow River Estuary hairy crabs, Shandong pancakes and other delicacies and various cultural and creative products, taking advantage of the birdwatching craze to expand product sales.
"The hairy crabs are now picked, steamed and eaten. If tourists are satisfied with their meal, they can take them away." Yang Zhihao, a local farmer, said that nearly a hundred hairy crabs can be sold in a single day at the bird watching spot on weekends and holidays. After tasting it on site, many foreign tourists took the initiative to add their contact information and prepare to repurchase.
Yin Xiaoxue, a "post-95s generation", sells cultural and creative products at the Bird Watching Station. "A group of friends who love nature and I have designed more than 20 cultural creations based on the theme of wetland birds. The original hand-painted Oriental white stork and white crane refrigerator magnets are the most popular among 'bird lovers'."
The "bird wave" landscape has also stimulated local bird watching tours, wetland science popularization, ecological research, coastal B&B and other new business formats, making up for the shortcomings of the traditional autumn and winter tourism off-season. The cultural and tourism department has designed "bird watching +" routes, developed research courses, and held international bird watching season events at the mouth of the Yellow River to extend tourists' stay and convert online traffic into offline "retention."
According to statistics, during the 2025 bird watching season (November to December), the six bird watching sites in Dongying received a total of approximately 400,000 tourists, and the "bird wave" effect drove comprehensive income in catering, accommodation, cultural and creative fields to exceed 300 million yuan. Since October this year, more than 120,000 tourists have gone to Dongying to watch birds, with foreign tourists accounting for about 65%.
