🐦‍⬛12.8 Luxelakes: Recap of Birdwatching Sunday Event— The Familiar Yet Mysterious “Them”

On the morning of December 8, the Bird-Friendly Community Development Project held its first outdoor birdwatching event at Luxelakes. The goal of the event was to help participants familiarize themselves with the characteristics and names of common birds in Chengdu. As they walked and observed birds, participants were divided into groups by drawing lots and described the birds from five different perspectives: shape, demeanor, color, size, and beak. Their descriptions were quite creative—one person described the Black-throated Bushtit as “mischievous," the White-browed Laughingthrush as resembling a "crescent-shaped old lady," the Spotted Dove as looking like a "broiler chicken," the White Wagtail as being about the size of an "egg," and the beak of the Long-tailed Shrike as "hooked on top, straight below." A total of nine bird species, with approximately 70 individuals, were observed during the event.

After the birdwatching activity, participants evaluated Tianfu Forest Park based on three criteria for bird habitat quality: level of human disturbance, suitability of the environment for birds, and availability of food sources. The assessment found that human disturbance was moderate, mainly due to shouting from basketball courts and fast-moving cyclists scaring birds away. The park provides suitable habitats for birds, with water bodies, woodlands, and grasslands. It also contains berry-bearing shrubs that serve as a food source for birds.

One child wrote a short paragraph about their experience:

"This morning, my parents and I went to Tianfu Forest Park for a birdwatching activity. Chloe gave me super cool pair of binoculars, and I observed birds with my best friend. There were so many different birds in the park, hopping around in the trees and chirping as if they were saying they were in a great mood today. I felt so happy, almost like I had turned into a cheerful little bird myself!"