Reed parrotbill (Paradoxornis heudei), a rare bird species that is dubbed the "panda of birds". Photo: VCG

A bird nest belonging to an endangered species of bird, reed parrotbill (Paradoxornis heudei), has been found in the Naoli River National Nature Reserve in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. 

While the rare bird species has been spotted living in areas in Northeast China and the coastal areas of East China's Jiangsu Province, the nest is the first discovery for the nature reserve and is an encouraging sign for researchers to further explore the habitat-related issues relating to the reed parrotbill, an animal species listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as "near-threatened." 

"This is not the first time that the bird has been spotted, they were even observed near a city in 2018, in [Beijing's] Fangshan district. But, the discovery of the nest provides us with a reference to study the habitation preference of the bird as well as try to improve habitats for them for conservation purposes," Fan Gong, a wildlife researcher, told the Global Times on Monday. 

The discovery of the nest was rather unexpected and took place after staff at the nature reserve found a tiny bird among the reeds and followed it back to the nest. The nest, a round egg-shape with thick walls, was delicately weaved from reeds. 

"It further confirms how the species is depending on reed plants to survive. Besides using reeds for nesting, these birds hide in them to avoid predators," Li Minxun, a wildlife researcher, told the Global Times on Monday. 

Dubbed the "panda of birds", the reed parrotbill is unique to China, mainly living in the provinces of Heilongjiang, Liaoning and Jiangsu. 

Adults of the bird species are around 20 centimeters in size, slightly larger than a sparrow. It has a distinctive yellow beak, a black lined brow and assorted white, tan and grey feathers. It also has a bubbly character especially heard in the sound of its tweeting. 

Besides the reed parrotbill, the Naoli River National Nature Reserve is also home to more than 590 types of wildlife such as bears, red-crowned cranes, egrets and foxes. 

The nature reserve is an inland wetland and water ecosystem rich with plant life. More than 1,000 species of wild plants can be found in the region and more than 600 of them have economic value. 

In December 2020, four reed parrotbills were captured on camera by netizens around the Olympic Forest Park in Beijing's Chaoyang district, a rare but exciting sign that improved ecological conditions have allowed the rare animal to appear in urban areas.