China's largest industrial and commercial city of Shanghai has drawn more birds in recent years.

A survey conducted over the last three years indicates that seven more species of birds, including vultures, magpie harriers, and crow tits, have been added to the city's bird population.

"Their presence in Shanghai has never been found recorded in local data," said Cui Zhixing, an ornithologist with the Shanghai Natural History Museum, who was in charge of the survey.

Cui attributes the presence of the birds to an improving environment resulting from the local people's increasing awareness of the importance of environmental protection.

Rapid economic development and urban expansion had posed a threat to the habitat of birds around the city, and local ornithologists had been worried about it.

Since the 1990s, the city has spent more than 60 billion yuan on environmental protection, planting trees, growing lawns, and cleaning rivers.

A 300-sq-km nature reserve was set up in 1998 on Chongming Island to protect the habitat of rare birds.

The city is now home to some 430 bird species, of which about 200 are under the protection of international conventions.

The reserve, which is on a major migratory route for many birds, has become a migrant home to some 100 bird species in winter, including cranes and storks.

(Eastday.com.cn 04/15/2001)