Yunnan Puer Birding Tour of Lord Derby’s Parakeet and Mangba Bulang Ethnic Village Exploration

Yunnan Birding Tour: Discovering Lord Derby’s Parakeet and the Cultural Heritage of Mangba Bulang Ethnic Village

Introduction: Yunnan Province, located in southwestern China, is a hot spot for birding enthusiasts due to its diverse flora and fauna. This 3-day, 2-night birding tour will take you to Puer City, where you’ll have the chance to spot the endangered Lord Derby’s Parakeet and explore the cultural heritage of the Mangba Bulang Ethnic Village.

Day 1: Arrival in Puer City

1. Morning: Arrive in Puer City, the capital of Yunnan Province. Check into your hotel and relax for a while.
2. Afternoon: Visit the city’s historic center, including the Ancient City Wall, the Qingping Market, and the Tea Horse Ancient Road. Enjoy a cup of local pu’er tea and learn about the city’s rich history and culture.
3. Evening: Explore Puer City’s nightlife and try some of the local delicacies.

Day 2: Lord Derby’s Parakeet Observation and Mangba Bulang Ethnic Village Exploration

1. Morning: Drive to the Nanyao Nature Reserve, located about 30 kilometers from Puer City. Here, you’ll have the chance to spot the endangered Lord Derby’s Parakeet, which is only found in this area. The reserve is home to a variety of other bird species as well, so be sure to bring your binoculars and camera.
2. Afternoon: Continue to the Mangba Bulang Ethnic Village, which is nestled in the mountains of Puer City. This village is known for its unique culture, traditional clothing, and delicious food. Visit the local markets, interact with the villagers, and learn about their customs and traditions.
3. Evening: Return to Puer City and spend the night in your hotel.

Day 3: Puer City Departure

1. Morning: Check out of your hotel and visit the Puer Tea Culture Museum, where you’ll learn about the history and cultivation of pu’er tea.
2. Afternoon: Drive to the airport or train station to depart from Puer City.

Conclusion: This 3-day, 2-night Yunnan Birding Tour offers a unique opportunity to discover the endangered Lord Derby’s Parakeet and explore the cultural heritage of the Mangba Bulang Ethnic Village. With its stunning natural beauty and rich cultural history, Puer City is a must-visit destination in Yunnan Province. So pack your bags and get ready for an unforgettable adventure in southern China!

1.Free Flying Derbyan Parakeet(大紫胸鹦鹉)

In Mangba village (忙坝村), an adult male derbyan parakeet flying freely in the sky.Its gender symbol is bright red beak (the beak of a female is black),it makes a very loud noise while flying fast,it seems that it’s afraid it can’t arouse the attention of others.About 100 derbyan parakeets live in Mangba village,for many years,there is no obviously change in their number.

2.Bulang Minority Mountain Village——Mangba (忙坝布朗族山村)

Mangba is the place where the story happened,it is a small village on the top of the mountain near Lancang River, located in Pu’er, southern Yunnan. All the villagers are Bulang, about more than 50 households and 200 people, they already have been living with derbyan parakeets for many years.The old people said,” the parrots were here when we were young.”

3.Good morning world！

It is 7 a.m.,warm sunshine covered with trunk,and shining through the bird hole of derbyan parakeet (大紫胸鹦鹉), the tree hole of large banyan at the edge of the village.A female sub-adult derbyan parakeet get up,It poke its head out of the tree hole to look around. It’s a good day today,a busy day begins here.

4.Breakfast Time

Breakfast time:delicious foods near home——the ripe fruits of banyan.I saw they are eating fragrantly and sweetly,I can’t help but taste one,it taste really still…ok.

5.Let me feed you.

A male parrot is feeding his food to a female,we thought he was feeding his young bird in the beginning,but take a closer look,the female parrot is an adult.As expected,we observed their mating behavior later(Unfortunately, I didn’t shoot a picture),It seems that the male flattered the female with food is a pre-mating behavior of parrots.

6.The Recipe of Derbyan Parakeet

The recipe of derbyan parakeet:the derbyan parakeets are completely vegetarian,thei main food is nuts of Simao pine tree(思茅松 Other distribution areas in China, they also eat conifer seed),Their hard and powerful beak can easily peel off pine cones,then poke out the seeds with their tongue.There are large Simao pine trees(思茅松林) around Mangba,so it’s the basic reason that derbyan parakeet live here. Certainly,the fruits and young leaves of banyan,the fruits of a kind of rosaceae plant,they are also derbyan parakeet’s favorite dessert.

7.Combing cozily

Like other birds,derbyan parakeets spend a lot of time to combing their feathers everyday,especially after eating.But think about it, after eating and drinking, combing the feathers in the warm sun,cleaning up the “nails”,playing two full,how pleasant life is! Look at it, enjoy combing.

8.The fallen feather

I am kneeling under the tree, holding a heavy shot,sweating focus and framing,shooting they comb cozily…Looking down, I found a fallen feather of derbyan parakeet on the ground.It lies quietly there,Its beauty is amazing.

9.Fly freely

It is 5 p.m.,the parrots come back to the tree hole of banyan from Simao pine trees on time.Under the blue sky and white clouds,if you see that a large group of colorful derbyan parakeets are flying with loud noise to you,I think you won’t hitch and hang them with a thin iron chain under the roof of your home forever. Freedom is so beautiful.

10.The positive photo of derbyan parakeet

In the sunset,a cocky male derbyan parakeet poses the most standard parrot pose in front of my camera, it wanted to take a positive photo.Haha,I am asking for it.

11.Nobody cares protection

In 2002,the stone tablet of the “Budgerigar Association Publicity Card”(“鹦哥协会宣传牌”) established at the entrance of the village collapsed in the middle of the road,it has become a part of the road.Once the parrot protection work was valued in the village for a while,it doesn’t exist now,everyone is busy with their own business – farming and cutting rosin(割松香).Farming is for eating, and the rosin is the pillar economy of the village. At present, Mangba does not belong to any protected area,every spring,when the parrot is born, there will be some outsiders who come here secretly to “buy parrots”.

12.A glimpse

A sharp scream, this derbyan parakeet fly away…I only photographed its slender and beautiful tail feathers and bare trunks.In China,once derbyan parakeets were widely distributed in western Sichuan,western Yunnan, eastern Tibet.But they have disappeared with the disappearance of the forest now.Habitat loss and artificial catching are the main reason that derbyan parakeets quickly change from widespread species to global near-risk species.In China,The development need more intelligent and harmonious, and less greedy,our request for nature is nearing the limit. Hopefully,derbyan parakeet that has existed on Earth for tens of thousands of years,will not be a glimpse passerby of our times.