A rare national first-class protected animal which has been dubbed "the most mysterious bird in the world" is first-ever spotted in Liannan Yao Autonomous County in South China's Guangdong Province.Photo:Nanfang Daily

A rare national first-class protected animal which has been dubbed "the most mysterious bird in the world" was first-ever spotted in Liannan Yao Autonomous County in South China's Guangdong Province.

The Natural Resources Bureau of Liannan Yao Autonomous County and the Guoshui Town Police Station received and treated an injured strange bird handed over by enthusiastic residents. After being identified by experts, it was confirmed that the bird is Hainan bream, also known as Hainan night bream, Hainan tiger dove, and white-eared night heron. 

According to statistics, there are only about 1,000 Hainan bream in the wild, making them even rarer than giant pandas. It is listed as one of the 30 most endangered bird species in the world. 

It mainly inhabits valleys and ravines in dense forests of high mountains. It is rarely observed due to its habit of being nocturnal, not like to live in groups, and not to sing, so it is also called "the most mysterious bird in the world."

"This is the first time that Hainan bream has been discovered in our county," the staff of the Liannan County Natural Resources Bureau said the appearance of the Hainan bream in the area serves as evidence of the improved quality of the local ecological environment following years of conservation efforts.

Guangzhou Daily