Yuncheng Wetland Nature Reserve

Yuncheng Wetland Nature Reserve

The wetlands along the Yellow River within Yuncheng City’s jurisdiction are among the most important in the entire Yellow River basin. They also serve as key wintering and resting grounds for swans and grey cranes in northern China. Surveys indicate that over 200 species of waterfowl and other wild birds inhabit this area, including more than 40 species under national first and second-class protection such as the black stork, great bustard, relic gull, sea eagle, and red-crowned crane. In 1993, Shanxi Province established two reserves in Yuncheng for swans and in Hejin for grey cranes. With the completion of the Xiaolangdi Water Control Project on the Yellow River, the amount of water area and wetlands within Yuncheng has significantly increased, attracting more and more wild waterfowl. The population of wintering swans at Shengtian Lake in Ruicheng County has reached over 1,100 individuals.