Spring is the season when overwintering birds return to their breeding sites. However, there are more than 1,000 egrets have settled in Menglian of Pu’er, Yunnan Province, and are now entering the breeding period.

Early in the morning, groups of egrets forage in the rice fields in the suburb of the county. They sometimes stand in a row on the ridge, sometimes chase and play with each other, which are living with people in harmony. 

According to the amateur photographer Chen Yonggang, feathers of male egrets are white and smooth, and breeding feathers will grow during this period. Male cattle egrets are handsome with golden feathers on the neck, which shows that they are ready for breeding.

According to research, subtropical climate and the altitudinal change create the consistently warm weather in Menglian County. In recent years, with the development of conservation and the improvement of the environment, many migrant birds have become resident birds. Nowadays, there are more than 1,000 egrets living in Menglian County, which always forage in rice fields and ponds during the day, and rest on small islands in the reservoir or trees near villages at night.

Egrets are social animals. They like quietness and are very strict in the selection of living environment, which are also known as “environmental messengers”. At present, the rice fields in Menglian County are fertile with delicious fish and shrimp, providing egrets with an excellent habitat.