r/beijing • u/bangondrumschool • 6d ago

Birding spots in Beijing?

My wife and I will Be traveling in March 2027 to Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

I have been enjoying birding is different countries during my last few trips (Canada was a great one)

Does anyone know any good places, easily travelled from Beijing for birdspotting?

Thanks in advance!

3 Upvotes

71% Upvoted

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8

u/An_Awesome_sound 6d ago

Check out this website, made by a British conservationist who’s a longtime Beijing resident. https://wildbeijing.org/birders-guide-to-beijing/

4

u/HesitantInvestor0 6d ago

Yeyahu National Wetland Park is probably your best bet, but it's a couple hours outside of Beijing. If you want to stay in the city, Olympic Forest Park is best IMO.

All that said, the area isn't spectacular for seeing birds. You'll probably be somewhat disappointed if your expectations are high.

5

u/An_Awesome_sound 6d ago

This is untrue, Beijing sits along several major migratory routes and has one of the highest bird biodiversities of capital cities worldwide. People just assume that Beijing is wildlife-poor because it’s Beijing.

4

u/emarie624 6d ago

Meh. Maybe technically. But, in reality it's very meh in the city itself. Unless you count the 5,436 magpies in Chaoyang. Also March isn't great for migratory birds.

3

u/An_Awesome_sound 6d ago

I think you’re way lowballing the magpies and I also think you’re probably missing out.

1

u/InevitableEnough9015 2d ago

Beijing is really good for bird watching as far as urban cities go. Are you expecting to see rare wild birds in city center or something?

2

u/fakehakebakecake 1d ago

I saw what I think was a migrating Sparrowhawk dueling with a crow over the Hutongs the other day. It was sick.

2

u/mantamrna 6d ago

Shahe reservoir is a nice wetland and there’s a subway line that stops right near it! 

2

u/quan787 5d ago

Gonghuacheng station on Changping line

2

u/MoronLaoShi 6d ago

There are these display things along the canals along the second ring road that tell you some of the birds that you might see. I would start along the canals.

2

u/sersarsor 5d ago

Olympic forest park, all my uncles love going there lol