What is your favorite bird species?
My favorite bird is the White-browed Tit Warbler. I really have a soft spot for small birds with vibrant colors, and this little one fits the bill perfectly! It’s so small, lively, and absolutely adorable. What stands out to me is how its appearance truly shines when compared to other birds that live in similar habitats.
What is your name, and where do you live?
My name is Shay Xie. I live in Chengdu, Sichuan.
What are the main regions or locations you cover as a bird guide?
I guide tours all over China but primarily focus on the southwestern region, such as Sichuan, Yunnan, Tibet, and Qinghai. Based on our guests’ preferences, I also guide birding tours in various regions across China, including Jiangsu, Shanghai, and Jiangxi in the east, Inner Mongolia in the north, as well as Guangxi and Hainan in the south. I’m looking forward to sharing the beauty of these diverse habitats with our enthusiastic birders!
How long have you been a bird guide?
I have been a birding guide since 2017, which is nearly 9 years.
How did you get into bird guiding?
During my university studies in ecology, I had the opportunity to engage in birding, which quickly became a passion of mine. It was a fortunate coincidence that I met a senior who worked as a birding guide. After learning more about the responsibilities and joys of being a birding guide, I realized it was the perfect fit for me, and I decided to pursue this career path.
What are the aspects of being a bird guide that you like best? Which aspects do you dislike most?
What I enjoy most is the chance to go birding while making a living — combining passion with work is incredibly rewarding. On the flip side, the frequent travel, especially during peak seasons, can be tough. It often means long stretches away from family and friends, which is the part I find most challenging.
.
What are the top 5-10 birds in your region that are the most interesting for visiting birders?
It’s quite a challenge to choose, as there are so many unique birds here. I’ll pick a few representatives from the groups I particularly love.
Golden Pheasant
Blue-eared Pheasant
White-browed Tit Warbler
Przevalski’s Finch
Grey-hooded Parrotbill
Giant Laughingthrush
Firethroat
Chinese White-browed Rosefinch
Can you outline at least one typical birdwatching trip in your area? Please briefly describe the locations, the key birds, and the approximate duration of such a trip
I recommend a 20-day classic birding tour in Sichuan. Sichuan is world-renowned for its birds and wildlife, particularly game birds (pheasant, partridge, tragopan, and grouse). This trip covers almost all kinds of habitats in Sichuan. We will visit some very popular birding sites such as Longcangou, Wawu Shan, Balang Mountain, Mengbi Mountain, Ruoergai, Tangjiahe National Nature Reserve, Erlang Mountain, just to name a few.
The period is from early May to the end of June. As this is the early stage of the breeding season, many summer migratory birds have returned.
Highlight Birds: Snow Partridge, Temminck’s Tragopan, Golden Pheasant, Tibetan Snowcock, Chestnut-throated Partridge, Chinese Monal, Blue Eared Pheasant, Blood Pheasant, Lady Amherst’s Pheasant, White Eared Pheasant, Grandala, Chinese Rubythroat, Firethroat, Sichuan Jay, Sichuan Wood Owl, Black-necked Crane, Vinous-throated Parrotbill, Brown Parrotbill, Fulvous Parrotbill, Ashy-throated Parrotbill, Great Parrotbill, Three-toed Parrotbill, Grey-hooded Parrotbill, Golden Parrotbill, Przevalski’s Pinktail, Collared Grosbeak, White-winged Grosbeak, Goldcrest, Snowy-cheeked Laughingthrush, Giant Laughingthrush, Elliot’s Laughingthrush, Slaty Bunting, Crested Tit Warbler, White-browed Tit Warbler, Chinese Fulvetta, Sichuan Tit, White-browed Tit, Wall Creeper, Lammergeier (Bearded Vulture), Red-billed Chough, Yellow-billed Chough, Long-tailed Rosefinch, Common Rosefinch, Chinese Beautiful Rosefinch, Chinese White-browed Rosefinch, Pink-rumped Rosefinch, Dark-breasted Rosefinch, Crimson-browed Finch, Red-fronted Rosefinch, etc.
What other suggestions can you give to birders interested in your area?
China is so vast that there are different birding destinations recommended in different seasons. For instance, in spring, Sichuan and the eastern China areas; in summer, Qinghai and Xinjiang; in autumn, the eastern China areas and Yunnan; in winter, Yunnan, Hainan, and Inner Mongolia.
If any readers of 10,000 Birds are interested in birding with you, how can they best contact you?
The best way is to email us at info@alpinebirding.com.
Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers of 10,000 Birds?
As the environment changes, the diversity of birds at some birding spots has been declining. If you’re interested in birding in China, we warmly invite you to visit as soon as possible to experience its unique beauty firsthand.
Leave a Comment