In February, two Dalmatian pelicans, a species under national first-class protection, spent more than four months in the Swan Spring scenic area of Yining County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which was the first record in the area.

The two Dalmatian pelicans have been living here since they arrived in October 2015, attracting many bird watchers and photography enthusiasts.

According to Han Xinlin, the administrator of Swan Spring scenic area in Yining County, two Dalmatian pelicans came here for a short stay of a few days between March and April 2025 and then flew away. They reappeared in October of the same year and overwintered here.

The plumage of the Dalmatian pelican is greyish-white, and there are curly and scattered crown feathers on the back of the head. Its body length can reach 1.6-1.8 meters, and its wingspan exceeds three meters. It is one of the largest birds in the world. The lead-grey beak, throat pouch and curly crown feathers on the top of the head are distinctive. The Dalmatian pelican likes to live in groups and swim, but it does not dive. Its call is low and hoarse and also good at walking on land, the neck is often bent into an "S" shape and shrunk on its shoulders. It mainly feeds on fish, crustaceans, mollusks, amphibians, etc. It is a national first-class protected wild animal and is listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

The Dalmatian pelican is sensitive to the habitat, and its stable wintering is an important sign of the improvement of the regional wetland ecology. Yining County has taken measures to strengthen protection, reduce human interference, maintain water quality and ensure food supply.

(The Media Convergence Center of Yining County, Reporter: Chen Yongmei)