Bird Island, Lake island in Qinghai Lake, China.
Bird Island comprises two sections called Haixi Pi in the east and Haixi Shan in the west, with the eastern portion connected to the mainland. The island provides habitat for bird populations that vary in size and composition throughout the year.
The area gained official protection status in 1997 to safeguard the bird species that arrive each year on their migration routes. This designation recognized its importance as a critical stopover point in international bird migration corridors.
The island serves as a gathering place for migratory birds from across Asia, where visitors can observe how different species share the same habitat during their seasonal journeys. The local ecosystem reflects the routes and patterns of bird migration that have existed for generations.
The island can be reached by daily bus service from Xining, which departs early in the morning and arrives in the afternoon. Bring warm layers and a windbreaker, as the lakeside location experiences strong winds throughout the year.
The western section becomes remarkable during breeding season in April and May, when up to ten thousand birds gather and their eggs cover the ground in remarkable numbers. This area earned the name Egg Island precisely because of these countless eggs visible across the landscape.
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