A New Bird Record for Hunan Spotted in Zhangjiajie! 

In November 2022, researchers photographed a Relict Gull (Ichthyaetus relictus) along the Lishui River in Xixiping Subdistrict, Yongding District, Zhangjiajie. Through literature review and morphological comparison, the bird was identified as a Relict Gull, marking a new bird record for Hunan Province.

The Relict Gull is a Class I nationally key protected wild animal in China and is listed as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

This new discovery also provides new data for further research on its distribution and migration.

Photo by Peng Liping