Black-headed gulls head back to Siberia from Kunming

The news was updated on March 6, 2019. 

As weather warms up in Kunming, capital of Yunnan province, thousands of black-headed gulls are about to migrate. Bird watching enthusiasts are cherishing the last chance to see gulls before they fly away in the middle of March.

Visitors are flocking to watch the gulls at the Haigen Dam at Dianchi Lake these days. “I’m very happy to see and feed them,” said a visitor. “My son likes gulls. The wildlife adds a stunning landscape to the city.”

Yang Ming, a senior member of the Kunming Bird-watching Association, said when spring comes, the white feathers on young gulls turn black, which means the bird has reached sexual maturity and it is time for them to begin to head back to Siberia, where they breed.

It is said the earliest cluster of black-headed gull usually comes back to Kunming is mid-October, and the rest arrive by mid-November.