Black-headed gulls are used to spending winters in Kunming. [File photo]

[InKunming--Kunming]  Black-headed gulls flied to Kunming from Siberia to spend the winter every year since 1985. They contributed bright sceneries to Kunming every winter.

As temperature cools down, some Kunming residents found seagulls appeared at Dianchi Lake recently. Expert said these seagulls are not black-headed gulls but are brown-headed gulls which reside in Qinghai and Xinjiang. It is estimated that black-headed gulls may not arrive at Kunming until one week later.

Expert said:” Brown-headed gulls usually arrive in Kunming earlier than black-headed gulls, since their migration distance is shorter. This year, roughly 10 to 20 brown-headed gulls had reached Kunming, and the number is still increasing.”

Kunming boasts its mild climate in winter. Every year, over 130 kinds of birds, including 6 kinds of gulls, fly to the city to spend winter. Among gulls, the number of black-headed gulls accounts for 98%.

Observation showed that no blacked-headed gull has arrived in Kunming yet. Black-headed gulls that residents saw recently are all aged or sick gulls that stay in Kunming from last winter. Every year, around one to two hundred aged or sick gulls which can not fly for a long distance will stay in Kunming.

Data showed that black-headed gulls arrived at Kunming on October 15 last year. According to convention in previous years, black-headed gulls are expected to get in Kunming around one week later.

Black-headed gulls have to fly over 3,000 kilometers in straight line from Siberia to Kunming. They usually depart from Siberia in September and get to Kunming in late October, flying over 80 to 100 kilometers approximately per day. Spearhead of the black-headed has arrived Hohhot so far. People estimated that more than 700 kilometers are left for them to get to Kunming, which may take them about 1 week.

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(Editors: Tracy, Cathy Chen)