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

The Jiangsu Rudong Xiaoyangkou Spoonbill Sandpiper Reserve in Nantong recently made the list of the 10 best bird-watching spots in Jiangsu, which was released by the province's forestry department on April 22.

Xiaoyangkou boasts abundant wetlands and its intertidal mud flats breed numerous bottom dwellers, providing ample food and space to rest for spoonbill sandpipers, black-headed gulls, and other rare and endangered species.

Tens of thousands of shorebirds usually stop to rest, forage, and molt at the Xiaoyangkou wetlands during their migratory seasons. The best time to watch birds in Xiaoyangkou are from April to May and September to November.

Nantong is a significant stopover for migratory birds from East Asia and Australasia. With its gradually improving natural environment, the city has been seeing an increasing number of bird species.

The latest list of terrestrial vertebrates in Jiangsu published by the forestry department on April 22 showed that 14 bird species have been found in the province, with four in Nantong.