Research on bird diversity in Hangzhou Xixi National Wetland Park

Hangzhou Xixi Wetland, designated as both a national wetland park and a Ramsar Sites, provides essential habitats for numerous wetland birds and plays a key role in maintaining regional ecological stability and biodiversity. Understanding avian community dynamics and conservation responses is critical for guiding evidence-based wetland management and biodiversity maintenance. Using standardized bird monitoring data collected from 2024 to 2025, integrated with long-term historical records, this study conducted a comprehensive analysis of avian species composition, residential status, zoogeographical affinities, ecological guilds, seasonal dynamics, spatial distribution patterns, and biodiversity indices, with the aim of evaluating community structure variation and the effectiveness of recent habitat protection and restoration interventions. A total of 126 bird species were recorded during the survey. Passeriformes was the most dominant order, comprising 72 species, indicating a typical passerine-dominated urban wetland bird community. Among the recorded species, 12 were listed as Class II national key protected wild animals, highlighting the significant conservation value of Xixi Wetland for rare avian taxa. In terms of residential types, resident birds (54 species) and winter migrants (33 species) constituted the dominant components, reflecting the wetland’s important role as a year-round habitat and stopover site. Zoogeographically, Palearctic species (49 species) and widespread species (44 species) were the most prevalent. For ecological guilds, songbirds were the most speciose group with 72 species, while insectivorous birds dominated the trophic niche with 55 species, supporting a robust and functionally diverse food web within the wetland ecosystem. Seasonal dynamics revealed clear temporal variation in avian community structure. Species richness peaked in spring, with 91 species recorded, whereas total individual abundance reached its maximum in winter at 2 012 individuals. Resident birds remained dominant across all seasons, indicating stable occupancy and adaptation to local environmental conditions. Biodiversity index analysis showed that the Simpson diversity index was highest in winter, while the Shannon-Wiener diversity index and Pielou evenness index reached their maxima in summer. The Margalef species richness index was highest in spring, reflecting strong seasonal shifts in species colonization, aggregation, and resource utilization. Spatially, distinct heterogeneity in avian distribution was observed among different habitat patches. Lianhuatan supported the highest species richness (89 species) and individual abundance (1 880 individuals), and also exhibited the highest Simpson index (0.14) and Margalef index (11.67). The Shannon-Wiener index peaked at Dongguanhetang (3.52), and the Pielou evenness index was highest at Yutianli (0.87), suggesting that variations in vegetation structure, water depth, and habitat complexity strongly shape local avian diversity and community assembly. These results demonstrate that targeted conservation actions have effectively improved habitat quality and enhanced avian diversity in Xixi Wetland. Based on the spatiotemporal patterns of avian communities and their ecological requirements, we recommend that future management strategies adopt a precision conservation framework. Strengthening long-term monitoring programs, optimizing habitat configuration, enhancing vegetation heterogeneity, and implementing adaptive management practices will further promote the ecological integrity, stability, and sustainable development of avian biodiversity in this urban wetland.