Poyang Lake

Poyang is the largest freshwater lake in China, and its size varies enormously: in the summer flood it can cover four thousand square kilometres, and by late winter it can shrink to a tenth of that, leaving grassland, channels and shallow pools across the exposed bed. That seasonal drawdown creates the feeding habitat that makes it the most important wintering ground in the world for the Siberian crane, with the great majority of the surviving population, several thousand birds, arriving from the Arctic each November, alongside oriental storks, swan geese and hundreds of thousands of other waterbirds. Water levels have fallen sharply in recent drought years, raising concern for the wintering flocks.

The landscape

• The Siberian cranes - up to nine-tenths of the world population wintering here.
• The seasonal drawdown - the lake shrinking to grassland and channels in winter.
• The waterbird concentrations - storks, geese and hundreds of thousands of birds.
• The reserve viewing areas - hides and platforms at Wucheng and elsewhere.

When to go

November to March for the cranes and the drawn-down lake; the birds leave by early spring. Summer is the flood season with few birds and high water. Access to reserve areas is controlled and a guide or permit may be needed.

What to expect

Serious birding needs a scope, a guide and transport; casual visitors see distant white shapes. Access to core reserve areas is restricted. Drought years have reduced both water and birds, and conditions vary sharply between seasons.

Nearby

Nanchang lies south; Mount Lu is northwest.

Key facts