Feeding stations built for migratory birds in north east China

Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province has established six feeding stations for migratory birds near a lake straddling the Sino-Russian border, local authorities said Wednesday.While en route to their destinations in Siberia, over 2 million migratory birds fly by the Xingkai Lake Natural Reserve every March and April, said Shang Erzeng, a spokesman for the reserve's administrative bureau.To ensure food supplies for the migratory birds, the bureau has established the six feeding stations that offer appropriate foods for various species. The bureau has also called on the public to donate food for the birds, Shang said.Meanwhile, the bureau carried out a project to divert water from the lake to expand the wetlands area, aiming to provide more natural habitats for migratory birds to ensure that they can get enough rest and have a smooth migration, according to Shang.The reserve is working to build the largest staging post for migratory bird in Northeast Asia, Shang said.In recent years, the reserve has frequently cooperated with Russia on avian research and has gained experience in the cross-border protection of birds, Shang added.As the largest freshwater lake in northeast China, Xingkai Lake has a large ecosystem composed of the lake, forests and wetlands.