Hiking Routes of Birding Tour in Gaoli Gongshan Mountain in Yunnan

In developed countries like Europe and America, birdwatching has long been a fashionable pursuit, and in recent years, birdwatching tours in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and coastal regions have been flourishing. Baoshan's Gaoligong Mountain, rich in a wide variety of bird species, undoubtedly stands out as the top choice for birdwatchers in China. Birdwatching is the most enchanting aspect of ecological tourism on Gaoligong Mountain.

Stretching 600 kilometers, Gaoligong Mountain is extraordinarily rich in species. To date, 525 bird species from 19 orders and 58 families have been recorded in this mountain range, making it one of the richest areas for bird resources in Yunnan Province and one of the most abundant in all of China.

Gaoligong Mountain is renowned as the "Kingdom of Laughingthrushes," where their melodious and rhythmic calls resonate throughout the forest. Amidst the rugged mountain ridges where the winds rage and the sky seems to touch the earth, one can also hear the distant calls of the Koklass and Silver Pheasants. Bird identification through calls becomes an enjoyable part of the birdwatching experience, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the natural symphony.

The diverse morphologies of birds on Gaoligong Mountain are a marvel of nature: from the tiny Yellow-bellied Warbler weighing just 5 grams to the massive Himalayan Griffon weighing up to 7500 grams, a difference of 1500 times in weight; from the diminutive Grey-bellied Tesia measuring only 8.6 cm in length to the towering Black-necked Crane reaching up to 137 cm, a difference of nearly 16 times in size. Such dramatic variations and smooth transitions can often be observed within a single birdwatching trip.

Gaoligong Mountain harbors 21 out of the 28 pheasant species found in Yunnan, accounting for 75% of the province's pheasant diversity. It truly stands as a paradise for pheasants. Walking from the foothills to the mountain peaks, one encounters various forms of pheasants such as the Green Peafowl (along the Nujiang River), Quails (common in farmlands), Blood Pheasants, Chestnut-throated Partridges, White-cheeked Partridges, Temminck's Tragopans, Blood Pheasants, Silver Pheasants, Kalij Pheasants, White-eared Pheasants, and Lady Amherst's Pheasants. This narrow band of elevation on Gaoligong Mountain is remarkably rich in pheasant species, a biological spectacle in itself.

Gaoligong Mountain features many ancient trade routes and former logging roads before the establishment of protected areas, making it easy to navigate with expansive views and concentrated bird activity. It has earned the reputation among international birdwatchers as a "five-star-plus birdwatching destination."

Recommended Tips:
Birdwatching Guide

Best season for birdwatching on Gaoligong Mountain: October to May each year.
Best times of day:
Eastern Slope: 7:00-11:00 AM, 5:00-8:00 PM
Western Slope: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM, 5:00-8:00 PM
Main Birdwatching Routes on Gaoligong Mountain:

Gangdang-Hanlong-Jinchang River, Hanlong-Huangxinshu-Nanzhai Public House-Gangfang-Daba-Qushi, Qiaotou-Huangtukan-Beizhai Public House-Huipo-Xiya, Bawan-Pumanshao-Fenshuiling-Taipingpu-Dahaoping-Longwenqiao. (Among them, the Gangdang-Hanlong-Jinchang River birdwatching route is 25 kilometers long, mainly following the logging roads from the 1970s, taking about 3 days. Along this route, over 150 bird species from various families such as Cormorants, Pheasants, Rails, Sandpipers, Pigeons, Swifts, Cuckoos, Owls, Parrots, Hoopoes, and Passerines can be observed.)

Hanlong-Huangxinshu-Nanzhai Public House-Gangfang-Daba-Qushi birdwatching route crosses both sides of Gaoligong Mountain, following well-preserved ancient Southern Silk Road paths, taking about 5 days. (This route passes through wetlands, farmlands, and forests, where nearly 200 bird species from families such as Ducks, Hawks, Pelicans, Plovers, Geese, Chickens, Falcons, Cranes, Storks, Pigeons, Parrots, Cuckoos, Nightjars, Swifts, Owls, Parrots, and Passerines can be observed. Additionally, you can observe the vertical distribution of slope birds on both sides of Gaoligong Mountain.)

Qiaotou-Huangtukan-Beizhai Public House-Huipo-Xiya birdwatching route is a comprehensive combination of the above two routes. (This route passes through more intact forests, where approximately 250 bird species can be observed, taking about 7 days.)

Bawan-Pumanshao-Fenshuiling-Taipingpu-Dahaoping-Longwenqiao birdwatching route mainly follows the Stilwell Road, observing birds distributed on the eastern and western slopes of Gaoligong Mountain at altitudes ranging from 1000 to 2500 meters. (With fewer vehicles traveling on the road now, there is less human disturbance, and a wide variety of birds can be seen on both sides of the road.)

Source: Gaoligong Mountain Birdwatching Guide http://www.glgsly.cn/show-42-210-1.html