(260401) -- YANGXIAN, April 1, 2026 (Xinhua) -- A couple of crested ibises are seen on a branch in Caoba Village, Yangxian County of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, March 30, 2026.
Crested ibises have recently entered their breeding season in Yangxian County of northwest China's Shaanxi Province.
The crested ibis, with its iconic red crest and long black beak, was in the past widely distributed across East Asia and Russia's Siberia. It was thought to be extinct in China until seven wild birds were observed in Yangxian County, Shaanxi, in 1981, a discovery that prompted captive breeding and enhanced protection of the species. (Xinhua/Zou Jingyi)
