Wolong National Nature Reserve

Nature Reserve · China

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Photo © Toni Wöhrl

Photo © Toni Wöhrl — CC BY-SA 4.0 — Source: Wikimedia Commons

Where the Qingyi River cuts through the eastern flanks of the Minshan Range, a temperate montane forest cloaks steep valleys in dense canopy that thins dramatically as elevation climbs toward alpine meadows and rocky summits. Wolong National Nature Reserve, spanning across Wenchuan County in Sichuan's remoter geography, protects one of China's most biodiverse temperate zones—a landscape shaped by a pronounced winter dry season that strips vegetation of moisture for months while summer thunderstorms drench the upper slopes. The reserve's mosaic of habitat types, from bamboo thickets and mixed broadleaf-conifer forests at middle elevations to sparse scrubland and grassland above treeline, supports an extraordinary diversity of forest-dwelling mammals, arboreal primates, insectivorous birds of the canopy and understory, and raptors that hunt across clearings and ridgelines. Winter transforms the reserve into a landscape of bare branches and frost-laden slopes, yet it is precisely this seasonal extremity that concentrates wildlife along watercourses and in pockets of evergreen forest where food remains available, making the dry months paradoxically rewarding for patient observers.

For wildlife photographers and serious birdwatchers, Wolong offers an unparalleled window into the montane forests of central China during their most dramatic seasons. The reserve's elevation gradient—from roughly 1,200 meters along river bottoms to peaks exceeding 5,000 meters—compresses multiple ecological zones into a compact area, allowing observers to encounter vastly different species assemblages and behavioral ecology within a single day's trek. Autumn and early winter bring the clearest skies and strongest light for photography, while late spring and early summer witness intensive breeding activity among songbirds and raptors. Access is most practical during the drier months when high-altitude trails remain passable; the reserve's network of established routes accommodates varying fitness levels, and local guides possess intimate knowledge of seasonal movement patterns and habitat preferences. The combination of pristine temperate forest, dramatic topography, and genuine wilderness character—along with the reserve's standing as a living laboratory for conservation science—makes it an essential destination for travelers seeking authentic, challenging wildlife observation in one of Asia's most ecologically significant landscapes.

Website chinawolong.gov.cn

Golden Pheasant

Chrysolophus pictus

Lophophorus lhuysii

Ithaginis cruentus

Temminck's Tragopan

Tragopan temminckii

Chestnut-throated Monal-Partridge

Tetraophasis obscurus

Large Hawk-Cuckoo

Hierococcyx sparverioides

Cuculus poliocephalus

Cuculus canorus

Columba leuconota

Speckled Wood Pigeon

Columba hodgsonii

Oriental Turtle Dove

Streptopelia orientalis

Common Redshank

Bearded Vulture

Gypaetus barbatus

Crested Honey Buzzard

Pernis ptilorhynchus

Aquila chrysaetos

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

Accipiter nisus

Buteo hemilasius

Himalayan Buzzard

Psilopogon virens

Rufous-bellied Woodpecker

Dendrocopos hyperythrus

White-backed Woodpecker

Dendrocopos leucotos

Grey-chinned Minivet

Pericrocotus solaris

Long-tailed Minivet

Pericrocotus ethologus

Grey-backed Shrike

Lanius tephronotus

Red-billed Blue Magpie

Urocissa erythroryncha

Southern Nutcracker

Nucifraga hemispila

Red-billed Chough

Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax

Pyrrhocorax graculus

Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher

Culicicapa ceylonensis

Yellow-browed Tit

Sylviparus modestus

Yellow-bellied Tit

Periparus venustulus

Poecile weigoldicus

Green-backed Tit

Parus monticolus

Collared Finchbill

Spizixos semitorques

Brown-breasted Bulbul

Pycnonotus xanthorrhous

Asian House Martin

Delichon dasypus

Rufous-faced Warbler

Abroscopus albogularis

Aberrant Bush Warbler

Horornis flavolivaceus

White-browed Tit-warbler

Leptopoecile sophiae

Aegithalos fuliginosus

Buff-barred Warbler

Phylloscopus pulcher

Ashy-throated Warbler

Phylloscopus maculipennis

Chinese Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus yunnanensis

Sichuan Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus forresti

Buff-throated Warbler

Phylloscopus subaffinis

White-spectacled Warbler

Phylloscopus intermedius

Bianchi's Warbler

Phylloscopus valentini

Large-billed Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus magnirostris

Blyth's Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus reguloides

Baikal Bush Warbler

Locustella davidi

Spotted Bush Warbler

Locustella thoracica

Rufous-tailed Babbler

Moupinia poecilotis

White-collared Yuhina

Parayuhina diademata

Stripe-throated Yuhina

Chestnut-flanked White-eye

Zosterops erythropleurus

Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler

Pomatorhinus ruficollis

Elliot's Laughingthrush

Trochalopteron elliotii

Red-billed Leiothrix

Leiothrix lutea

Giant Laughingthrush

Ianthocincla maxima

White-browed Laughingthrush

Pterorhinus sannio

Pterorhinus lanceolatus

Chestnut-vented Nuthatch

Sitta nagaensis

Tichodroma muraria

Red-billed Starling

Spodiopsar sericeus

White-cheeked Starling

Spodiopsar cineraceus

Grandala coelicolor

Zoothera griseiceps

Turdus mupinensis

Grey-winged Blackbird

Turdus boulboul

White-backed Thrush

Turdus kessleri

Chestnut Thrush

Turdus rubrocanus

Dark-sided Flycatcher

Muscicapa sibirica

Ferruginous Flycatcher

Muscicapa ferruginea

Verditer Flycatcher

Eumyias thalassinus

Chinese Rubythroat

Calliope tschebaiewi

Little Forktail

Enicurus scouleri

Blue Whistling Thrush

Myophonus caeruleus

Indian Blue Robin

Larvivora brunnea

Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher

Ficedula strophiata

Golden Bush Robin

Tarsiger chrysaeus

Himalayan Bluetail

Tarsiger rufilatus

Blue-fronted Redstart

Phoenicurus frontalis

White-throated Redstart

Phoenicurus schisticeps

Plumbeous Water Redstart

Phoenicurus fuliginosus

White-capped Redstart

Phoenicurus leucocephalus

Daurian Redstart

Phoenicurus auroreus

Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush

Monticola rufiventris

Saxicola ferreus

Siberian Stonechat

Saxicola maurus

White-throated Dipper

Cinclus cinclus

Cinclus pallasii

Mrs. Gould's Sunbird

Aethopyga gouldiae

Passer cinnamomeus

Rufous-breasted Accentor

Prunella strophiata

Motacilla cinerea

Anthus godlewskii

Olive-backed Pipit

Anthus hodgsoni

Anthus roseatus

Collared Grosbeak

Mycerobas affinis

Spot-winged Grosbeak

Mycerobas melanozanthos

White-winged Grosbeak

Mycerobas carnipes

Grey-headed Bullfinch

Pyrrhula erythaca

Dark-breasted Rosefinch

Procarduelis nipalensis

Common Rosefinch

Carpodacus erythrinus

Sharpe's Rosefinch

Carpodacus verreauxii

Vinaceous Rosefinch

Carpodacus vinaceus

Chinese White-browed Rosefinch

Carpodacus dubius

Red-fronted Rosefinch

Carpodacus puniceus

Crimson-browed Finch

Carpodacus subhimachalus

Emberiza siemsseni

Godlewski's Bunting

Emberiza godlewskii

Emberiza pusilla

Yellow-throated Bunting

Emberiza elegans

Falco tinnunculus

Yellow-streaked Warbler

Phylloscopus armandii

Tickell's Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus affinis

Mareca strepera

Ferruginous Duck

Buff-throated Monal-Partridge

Tetraophasis szechenyii

Tibetan Partridge

Perdix hodgsoniae

Lady Amherst's Pheasant

Chrysolophus amherstiae

Common Pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

Chinese Bamboo Partridge

Bambusicola thoracicus

Caprimulgus jotaka

Himalayan Swiftlet

Aerodramus brevirostris

White-throated Needletail

Hirundapus caudacutus

Apus nipalensis

Eudynamys scolopaceus

Cuculus micropterus

Himalayan Cuckoo

Cuculus saturatus

Columba rupestris

Eurasian Collared Dove

Streptopelia decaocto

Red Collared Dove

Streptopelia tranquebarica

Spilopelia chinensis

White-breasted Waterhen

Amaurornis phoenicurus

Yellow-legged Buttonquail

Grey-headed Lapwing

Vanellus cinereus

Gallinago nemoricola

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

Egretta garzetta

Chinese Pond Heron

Ardeola bacchus

Cinereous Vulture

Aegypius monachus

Himalayan Vulture

Gyps himalayensis

Mountain Hawk-Eagle

Nisaetus nipalensis

Grey-faced Buzzard

Butastur indicus

Taenioptynx brodiei

Oriental Scops Owl

Black-capped Kingfisher

Halcyon pileata

Common Kingfisher

Eurasian Wryneck

Speckled Piculet

Picumnus innominatus

Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker

Yungipicus canicapillus

Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker

Picoides tridactylus

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocopos major

Black Woodpecker

Dryocopus martius

Grey-headed Woodpecker

Blythipicus pyrrhotis

Falco amurensis

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Swinhoe's Minivet

Pericrocotus cantonensis

Black-winged Cuckooshrike

Lalage melaschistos

Green Shrike-babbler

Pteruthius xanthochlorus

Black-naped Oriole

Oriolus chinensis

Hair-crested Drongo

Dicrurus hottentottus

Dicrurus leucophaeus

Dicrurus macrocercus

Lanius tigrinus

Lanius cristatus

Long-tailed Shrike

Garrulus glandarius

Black-rumped Magpie

Pica bottanensis

Oriental Magpie

Corvus torquatus

Fire-capped Tit

Cephalopyrus flammiceps

Grey-crested Tit

Lophophanes dichrous

Pere David's Tit

Oriental Skylark

Mountain Bulbul

Ixos mcclellandii

Hypsipetes leucocephalus

Light-vented Bulbul

Pycnonotus sinensis

Riparia riparia

Eurasian Crag Martin

Ptyonoprogne rupestris

Hirundo rustica

Eastern Red-rumped Swallow

Cecropis daurica

Scaly-breasted Cupwing

Pnoepyga albiventer

Pnoepyga pusilla

Chestnut-crowned Bush Warbler

Grey-sided Bush Warbler

Cettia brunnifrons

Chestnut-headed Tesia

Cettia castaneocoronata

Crested Tit-warbler

Leptopoecile elegans

Black-throated Bushtit

Aegithalos concinnus

Hume's Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus humei

Yellow-browed Warbler

Phylloscopus inornatus

Pallas's Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus proregulus

Radde's Warbler

Phylloscopus schwarzi

Phylloscopus fuscatus

Grey-crowned Warbler

Phylloscopus tephrocephalus

Alström's Warbler

Phylloscopus soror

Martens's Warbler

Phylloscopus omeiensis

Phylloscopus borealis

Chestnut-crowned Warbler

Phylloscopus castaniceps

Sulphur-breasted Warbler

Phylloscopus ricketti

Claudia's Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus claudiae

Kloss's Leaf Warbler

Phylloscopus ogilviegranti

Prinia inornata

Golden-breasted Fulvetta

Lioparus chrysotis

Spectacled Fulvetta

Fulvetta ruficapilla

Chinese Fulvetta

Fulvetta striaticollis

Grey-hooded Fulvetta

Fulvetta cinereiceps

Spot-breasted Parrotbill

Paradoxornis guttaticollis

Great Parrotbill

Paradoxornis aemodius

Brown Parrotbill

Paradoxornis unicolor

Three-toed Parrotbill

Paradoxornis paradoxus

Grey-headed Parrotbill

Paradoxornis gularis

Fulvous Parrotbill

Suthora fulvifrons

Golden Parrotbill

Suthora verreauxi

Spectacled Parrotbill

Suthora conspicillata

Vinous-throated Parrotbill

Suthora webbiana

Ashy-throated Parrotbill

Suthora alphonsiana

Black-chinned Yuhina

Yuhina nigrimenta

Swinhoe's White-eye

Zosterops simplex

Rufous-capped Babbler

Cyanoderma ruficeps

Black-streaked Scimitar Babbler

Erythrogenys gravivox

David's Fulvetta

Black-faced Laughingthrush

Trochalopteron affine

Red-winged Laughingthrush

Trochalopteron formosum

Black-headed Sibia

Heterophasia desgodinsi

Blue-winged Minla

Actinodura cyanouroptera

Red-tailed Minla

Minla ignotincta

Spotted Laughingthrush

Ianthocincla ocellata

White-throated Laughingthrush

Pterorhinus albogularis

Regulus regulus

Chinese Nuthatch

Hodgson's Treecreeper

Certhia hodgsoni

Bar-tailed Treecreeper

Certhia himalayana

Acridotheres cristatellus

Long-tailed Thrush

Zoothera dixoni

Zoothera mollissima

Chinese Blackbird

Turdus mandarinus

Eyebrowed Thrush

Turdus obscurus

Red-throated Thrush

Turdus ruficollis

Oriental Magpie-Robin

Copsychus saularis

Brown-breasted Flycatcher

Muscicapa muttui

Asian Brown Flycatcher

Muscicapa dauurica

Rufous-bellied Niltava

Niltava sundara

Chinese Blue Flycatcher

Cyornis glaucicomans

White-bellied Redstart

Luscinia phaenicuroides

White-tailed Robin

Myiomela leucura

Calliope obscura

Calliope pectardens

Siberian Rubythroat

Calliope calliope

Slaty-backed Forktail

Enicurus schistaceus

Spotted Forktail

Enicurus maculatus

White-crowned Forktail

Enicurus leschenaulti

Himalayan Shortwing

Brachypteryx cruralis

Yellow-rumped Flycatcher

Ficedula zanthopygia

Slaty-blue Flycatcher

Ficedula tricolor

Snowy-browed Flycatcher

Ficedula hyperythra

Slaty-backed Flycatcher

Ficedula erithacus

Taiga Flycatcher

Ficedula albicilla

Red-flanked Bluetail

Tarsiger cyanurus

Gould's Shortwing

Heteroxenicus stellatus

Phoenicurus ochruros

Hodgson's Redstart

Phoenicurus hodgsoni

Güldenstädt's Redstart

Phoenicurus erythrogastrus

Blue Rock Thrush

Monticola solitarius

Saxicola stejnegeri

Fire-breasted Flowerpecker

Dicaeum ignipectus

Fork-tailed Sunbird

Aethopyga christinae

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Passer montanus

Passer domesticus

White-rumped Munia

Lonchura striata

Prunella rubeculoides

Prunella fulvescens

Maroon-backed Accentor

Prunella immaculata

Dendronanthus indicus

Eastern Yellow Wagtail

Motacilla tschutschensis

Citrine Wagtail

Motacilla citreola

Anthus spinoletta

Fringilla montifringilla

Chinese Grosbeak

Eophona migratoria

Blanford's Rosefinch

Agraphospiza rubescens

Brandt's Mountain Finch

Leucosticte brandti

Streaked Rosefinch

Carpodacus rubicilloides

Himalayan Beautiful Rosefinch

Carpodacus pulcherrimus

Pink-rumped Rosefinch

Carpodacus waltoni

Dark-rumped Rosefinch

Carpodacus edwardsii

Siberian Long-tailed Rosefinch

Carpodacus sibiricus

Three-banded Rosefinch

Carpodacus trifasciatus

Oriental Greenfinch

Black-headed Greenfinch

Chloris ambigua

Linaria flavirostris

Loxia curvirostra

Spinus thibetanus

Eurasian Siskin

Black-faced Bunting

Emberiza spodocephala

Blue Eared Pheasant

Crossoptilon auritum

Plaintive Cuckoo

Cacomantis merulinus

Ibidorhyncha struthersii

Greater Spotted Eagle

Short-billed Minivet

Pericrocotus brevirostris

Northern Nutcracker

Nucifraga caryocatactes

White-browed Tit

Poecile superciliosus

Silver-throated Bushtit

Aegithalos glaucogularis

Two-barred Warbler

Phylloscopus plumbeitarsus

Eurasian Nuthatch

Naemorhedus griseus

Ochotona thibetana

Perny's Long-nosed Squirrel

Dremomys pernyi

Himalayan Marmot

Marmota himalayana

Pere David's Rock Squirrel

Sciurotamias davidianus

Northern Hog Badger

Arctonyx albogularis

Pseudois nayaur

Budorcas tibetana

Golden Snub-nosed Monkey

Rhinopithecus roxellana

Asian Black Bear

Ursus thibetanus

Capricornis sumatraensis

Elaphodus cephalophus

Western Red Panda

Ailurus fulgens

Ailuropoda melanoleuca

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