A migratory bird forages in Rudong's Xiaoyangkou coastal tidal flat wetland. [Photo provided to en.nantong.gov.cn]

The National Forestry and Grassland Administration recently announced 789 important habitats for terrestrial wildlife around the country, including three in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province.

These habitats are home to 82.36 percent of terrestrial wildlife under national protection.

The three habitats in Nantong are the Xiaoyangkou coastal tidal flat wetland in Rudong, Yangtze River Estuary wetland in Qidong, and Liya Mountain wetland in Haimen, which serve as havens for migratory birds.

Migratory birds fly over the Yangtze River Estuary wetland in Qidong. [Photo provided to en.nantong.gov.cn]

Xiaoyangkou consists of the Jiangsu Rudong Xiaoyangkou Spoonbill Sandpiper Reserve and the Jiangsu Xiaoyangkou National Ocean Park, which have recorded more than 450,000 water birds, including over 300 species under first-class national protection, attracting flocks of bird lovers from around the world.

The Liya Mountain wetland in Haimen. [Photo provided to en.nantong.gov.cn]

The Yangtze River Estuary wetland is mainly inhabited by little greenshanks, numenius borealis, mandarin ducks, and Platalea leucorodias. It houses a provincial nature reserve, which aids in research on estuary areas transitioning from subtropical climates to warm temperate climates.

The Liya Mountain wetland is mainly home to larus saundersi, Eurasian curlews, numenius madagascariensis, and turnstones and houses the Jiangsu Liya Mountain National Ocean Park. Liya Mountain, which was formed by oyster shells after years of biochemical reactions and is covered with living oysters, is recognized as the only ocean wonder in China by relevant institutes.