Death flight for birds on night of the hunter

Habitats under threat

Illegal hunting is just one of the activities threatening the birds as they migrate, said Jiang from the WWF. The destruction of the natural habitat poses an equally grave danger to those who survive the rigors of the journey, the guns and the nets.

The last national wetland investigation, undertaken in 2003, indicated that 1.3 million hectares of wetland were turned over to cultivation during the previous decade, resulting in the disappearance of roughly 1,000 lakes nationwide. Moreover, shrinking water resources and reclamation projects are also eating away at the wetland areas.

The wetlands of the lower Yangtze River provide a winter home for 800,000 to 1 million birds, including the Siberian white crane, which is listed as "critically endangered" by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

Police forces play a crucial role in the protection of migratory birds. China's Wild Animal Protection Law enacted in 1988 says that anyone who catches, kills, sells, purchases, transports or carries wildlife without express official permission faces fines or prosecution.

The forestry police in Hunan are now screening for illegal activity across the province, while simultaneously stepping up enforcement and supervision of the relevant laws.

Recently, local county governments in Xinhua, Xinshao and Longhui in Hunan province have signed a convention on bird protection in an effort to restrain illegal hunting.

Meanwhile, a series of educational campaigns will urge the general public to pay more attention to the region's wildlife. However, research is still minimal: "Even as an expert on wild birds, I can't tell you the exact numbers or species of the birds migrating through Hunan province. It's embarrassing," admitted Qian.

Tang Yue contributed to this story.