Bird experts survey Metog to better understand county’s biodiversity

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Que Pinjia (left) and Guo Dongsheng travel to a mist net site in Metog, Xizang autonomous region, in March (CHEN LIANG / CHINA DAILY)

The remote Metog county on the southeastern edge of the Xizang autonomous region is known for being the very last county in China to be connected by road. The rugged area is also known for its rich and somewhat untapped biodiversity, and this is why ornithologists like Chen De and Que Pinjia visit to conduct wildlife surveys.

Inclement weather hampered their most recent fortnight-long survey in March, but despite the rain and the fog, the team of eight cracked on with their task in the hope of discovering unique species never before observed by humankind.

Chen, an associate professor from Beijing Normal University and Que, a researcher from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding and the Sichuan Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, have focused on Metog since studying for their doctorates at Beijing Normal University.

“Metog is truly at the front line of discovery for us,” Chen said. “It has a great potential to add new members to the country’s family of birds.”

Joining Chen and Que were three of their students and three freelance surveyors.

To make sure that their two-week survey made the best of a bad situation, various methods were employed to survey the skies.

The researchers used wafer-thin “mist nets” around various sites to catch wild birds and collect their DNA samples. The nets are practically invisible to the human eye and are designed to minimise harm to the birds. In addition to that, they also counted birds along roads.

The team, split into two, and travelling in four-wheel drives, set out on their respective tasks. Chen and the students focused their work on using mist nets for the survey. The three surveyors, Guo Dongsheng, Huang Ke and Li Bin, drove to different elevations along different routes to conduct their bird surveys.

Chen’s research primarily centres on employing genomic and molecular methods to address various ornithological questions such as speciation and species divergence.

“Genetic analysis allows us to determine whether two birds of the same species, previously regarded as distinct subspecies in two separate regions, are in fact two distinct species,” he said. “Through genetic evidence, we can elevate a subspecies to the status of a new species. A small vial of blood collected from the birds can provide us with the means to conduct this type of research for many years to come.”

The team decided to base the survey in Drepung township, about 19 miles from the county seat of Metog, with an elevation of less than 3,280 feet.

Drepung, sometimes spelled in pinyin as Beibeng, is a gateway to many villages scattered over the county’s 11,970 square miles.

From Drepung, Chen and his students drove to different areas to find survey sites — usually remote corners not far from roads but with few humans — to set up mist nets. They inspected every site regularly, eagerly anticipating the capture of wild birds in the nets and promptly extracting them.

Chen De (right) measures a green-backed tit in Metog in March (CHEN LIANG / CHINA DAILY)

During their stay in Metog, the team set up mist nets at 10 locations, caught more than 70 species and collected blood samples from each species.

Arriving in Metog on 12 March, Que joined the three surveyors in the second unit for their fieldwork. To make it easier to find birds, he brought with him two thermal scopes.

Despite managing to count more than 130 bird species during the survey, Que said, the list was considerably shorter compared to those recorded in the previous surveys.

Wetter and colder days, disruptions caused by road construction and the clearing of roadside thickets were probably the main reasons behind the lower bird count, he said.

Chen advocates for the establishment of a permanent bird tagging station in Metog, highlighting its significance for ongoing avian research.

“By engaging in year-round bird tagging and recapture efforts here, I’m sure we will achieve many more discoveries,” he said.