Thousands of wild white swans arrive in Shanxi for wintering

陈小将

As temperatures continue to drop, thousands of wild white swans migrating from Siberia have arrived at the Yellow River wetland in Pinglu county, Yuncheng city, Shanxi province, to spend the winter.

Located at the border between Shanxi and Henan provinces, the Yellow River wetland in Shanxi's Pinglu county features a mild climate and abundant food resources, making it one of China's key wintering grounds for white swans.

According to Wang Chao, an official from the Pinglu County Forestry Bureau, the wild white swans usually begin arriving in mid to late October and stay until March the following year. "To help the swans survive winter smoothly, we have prepared ample food supplies, such as Chinese cabbage and corn, and deployed patrol staff for round-the-clock monitoring."

With ongoing improvements in the wetland's ecological environment, around 10,000 wild white swans migrate to the area each year for the winter.

Flocks of wild white swans waddle in the water at the Yellow River wetland in Pinglu county, Yuncheng city, North China's Shanxi province, on Dec 23, 2025. [Photo by Zhu Xingxin/chinadaily.com.cn]