From gilded cages and nests on high

Over the two months the members found 50 species of birds in their residential communities.

According to A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of China published by the Science Press there are 1,445 species of birds in China, of which 430 can be found in Wuhan.

Yan is happy that he lives in Wuhan, which abounds with wetlands. "There's water in a 1-2 kilometer perimeter of our homes. It's the vegetation that goes with it that attracts the birds."

With the data that Yan and other members collect, he compiles an urban birds observation report.

The most pleasant surprise that came from watching birds at home was that once COVID-19 had been eradicated in the city, club members had rekindled their enthusiasm in their hobby.

Hao says she used to focus mostly on the grace with which birds move, but her observations from home allowed her to look more at the differences between various species.

Some species look very similar to one another, so a significant amount of experience is needed for a bird watcher to be able to tell which bird is which.

Hao discovered the 428th bird species in Wuhan in May last year, and she is now out watching birds more frequently than ever.

"I used to restrict my bird watching mostly to good weather, but these days even if it's raining I'll go out and observe them, as long as I have the time."