Yellow River reserve bans drones following bird strike

JINAN — The Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve in East China has stepped up efforts to protect migratory birds following an incident in November where a bean goose was struck and killed by a drone. The reserve serves as a key wintering and stopover site for migratory birds around the globe.

The reserve spans about 153,000 hectares, with wetlands making up 74 percent of its total area. Of the nine major flyways around the globe, the East Asian-Australasian Flyway and the West Pacific Flyway pass through the reserve.

It attracts large numbers of birds to stop here and also draws wildlife photographers and bird-watching enthusiasts from across the region.

In response to concerns over the safety of migratory birds, authorities in the city of Dongying, Shandong province, where the reserve is located, announced measures to ban unmanned aerial vehicles during peak migratory periods.

The ban, effective during the spring and autumn migratory seasons, applies to all UAV flights within the nature reserve as well as surrounding areas within a three-kilometer radius of the reserve.

"To protect the migratory birds, we will explore the use of digital technologies to curb unauthorized flights and ensure the effective implementation of the ban," said Hao Yingdong, an official from the nature reserve management committee.

The initiative is supported by an integrated "air-land-sea" monitoring network powered by cutting-edge digital technologies.

In recent years, the reserve has built an extensive surveillance system, with 66 cameras monitoring bird activity, 75 tracking wetlands, and over 40 monitoring human activities. The network provides 24-hour real-time monitoring in key areas, using technologies such as 5G, intelligent perception and artificial intelligence.

Using AI-powered bird recognition technology, the system can automatically identify birds and display information about their species and health. The data is also included in real-time counting statistics and incorporated into quarterly samples of bird activity patterns.

Automatic bird recognition is a challenging job because some birds molt with the seasons. By integrating AI neural network algorithms and deep learning technologies, the platform has achieved an accuracy rate of over 90 percent in identifying flagship species and large birds.

In recent years, the reserve has also worked with over 30 national research institutes to build more than 10 monitoring and research platforms. Thanks to protection efforts and improvements in the environment, the number of bird species in the reserve has risen from 187 to 374 over the past three decades, with over 6 million birds now breeding and wintering here each year.

"The Yellow River Delta is recognized globally as a critically important site for bird conservation, supporting both breeding populations and birds migrating along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway," said James Fitzsimons, senior advisor at Global Protection Strategies of the Nature Conservancy.

Ecological revival in China is also boosting economic growth. In November and December in 2024, the Yellow River Delta ecological tourism zone received 86,700 visitors, a 43.5 percent increase year-on-year, generating 4.27 million yuan ($602,800) in tourism revenue, up 64.7 percent.

"This year, we've launched three new bird-watching routes, a series of bird-themed cultural products, and multiple bird-watching service stations to improve the experience for bird enthusiasts," said Liu Yang, an official with the city's tourism development promotion center.

Xinhua