More than 70,000 birds of different species are now breaking the journey of migration at the Qinghai Lake, China's largest inland lake, in northwestern China's Qinghai Province, before starting with their annual migration in late autumn, according to the Qinghai Lake Administration.

The resting birds mainly consisting of cormorant, great black-headed gull and brown-headed gull are now scattering about by their own species around the Qinghai Lake National Nature Reserve, preparing for their winter migration by the end of October. 

Both number and specie of birds within the natural reserve have increased significantly in recent years thanks to the effective measures taken on protection and improvement of the lake eco-environment.

As one of the key wetlands worldwide, the Qinghai Lake National Nature Reserve boasts a larger area of wetlands and abundant food sources, turning to be a major breeding ground for birds and animals as well as a relay station for Asian migratory birds.

In spring and autumn, birds such as cormorant, great black-headed gull, brown-headed gull and bar-headed goose come to reproduce offspring on the bird island and then leave in early autumn. After entering the late autumn, a great number of migratory birds from other parts of China will break the journey of migration there before swans flying in flocks to live through the winter.

During this breeding season, the Qinghai Lake National State Reserve Administration has officially opened an underground bird observation room and an ecological  corridor, to lessen the human impact on the surrounding eco-environment, which finally results in the expansion of breeding areas and the number of birds.