Bird Island on the northwest shore of Qinghai Lake is in fact a peninsula, connected to the bank near the mouth of Buha River. It actually encompasses two islands: Haixi Pi in the east, and Haixi Shan, the much smaller island to the west. The island is the natural habitat of thousands of birds, including ruddy shell-ducks, cormorants, bar-headed geese, swans and brown-headed gulls. In the spring & summer months, migratory birds arriving on the island can swell the numbers to ten thousand and the majority lay their eggs on Haixi Shan, which is often called ''egg island'' as a result.
In order to protect the birds, Bird Island is now listed as a National Nature Reserve, but visitors are still welcomed to the island. There is a hotel and restaurant to the south of the island, and camping facilities nearby. Ornithologists in particular enjoy staying at Bird Island, though during the noisy months of April and May, some may find it a little overwhelming!
Getting there: Sightseeing buses leave Xining Railway Station daily and cost RMB 35. Alternatively, coaches from the Xining Long Distance Bus Station 250 m. (0.16 miles) south of the railway station at the cost a little less, at RMB 25.
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