The grass marsh at Beihu Lake. [Photo/Zhejiang Online]

Spring is in full bloom, and Zhejiang's Bird Loving Week (April 10–16) marks one of the best seasons for birdwatching. With its rich mix of lakes, wetlands and forests, Hangzhou offers diverse habitats where nature and birds thrive together.

Among the city's top birding spots is the grass marsh at Beihu Lake, a historic wetland over 1,000 years old in Yuhang. Home to more than 320 bird species — including rare national first-class protected birds — it is often called a natural bird paradise with award-winning bird counts in recent years.

A bird's-eye view of Xixi Wetland. [Photo/Zhejiang Online]

Xixi Wetland is another iconic site, where canals and ponds create ideal nesting and feeding grounds. Over 237 bird species have been recorded here, including egrets, night herons and summer migratory birds. The wetland also hosts regular birdwatching events and educational programs.

In Xiaoshan, the Yandang Wetland serves as a key stopover on the East Asian migratory route, with tens of thousands of herons forming large colonies.

The Yandang Wetland in Xiaoshan district. [Photo/Zhejiang Online]

At the Qiantang Bay Wetland Park, one of the region's most important migration hubs, visitors may spot rare species such as oriental storks and black-faced spoonbills along the tidal landscape.

The Qiantang Bay Wetland Park. [Photo/Zhejiang Online]