More than 80 white-naped cranes, a first-class nationally protected wild animal in China, have gathered at the Queshan Reservoir wetland in Jinan's Start-up Area for Growth Drivers Transformation, marking the largest-ever recorded gathering of the birds in the city.

The cranes have been spotted feeding and resting across shallow waters and mudflats. Highly sensitive to changes in their habitat, they are considered an important indicator of wetland health.

Also known as red-faced cranes, the birds are distinguished by their white crowns and bright red facial skin. They mainly breed in Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces in Northeast China, with some migrating south for the winter. With a global population of fewer than 10,000, the species is classified as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Although occasionally spotted in Jinan, a gathering of this size is rare.

Located along the Yellow River, the Queshan Reservoir sedimentation basin serves as a settling and purification area for river water before it enters the reservoir. In recent years, Jinan's Start-up Area has strengthened wetland protection efforts through regular patrols, pollution inspections, and a monitoring system combining on-site teams, drones, surveillance cameras, and AI-powered bird identification.

These efforts have helped improve the habitat, which also serves as a stopover for other migratory birds, including Siberian swans, Eurasian spoonbills, Baer's pochards, and Oriental storks.

More than 80 white-naped cranes gather at the Queshan Reservoir wetland in Jinan. [Photo/Dazhong News]

White-naped cranes are distinguished by their white crowns, red facial patches, and slender bodies. [Photo/Dazhong News]

Several white-naped cranes search for food in the wetland. [Photo/VCG]

White-naped cranes spread their wings at the Queshan Reservoir wetland in Jinan. [Photo/VCG]