The 10th Shahu International Bird Watching Festival kicked off in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region on Monday.

Shahu lies within Shizuishan. Between March and October every year, millions of birds will find their way there during migration because of its good environment and plentiful food.

Of the nine major bird migration routes globally, three pass through China and two pass through Ningxia. The two routes are from East Asia to Australia, and from West Asia to India.

Many rare birds can be found in Ningxia during spring and autumn. They will make a short stay here before flying to Siberia and Mongolia. In autumn, they also stay in Shahu before continuing to Southwest China.

Held annually for the past nine years, the festival in Shahu is becoming more popular within China, attracting visitors from around the country.