Introduction
Yunnan should rightly be considered as probably the highest priority for any birder visiting China for the first time. This province has the greatest species biodiversity of any province in China - benefiting from tremendous variety of habitat - from high Himalayan mountain ranges through to the sweltering sub-tropical jungles of the region near the borders with Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam.Key Species
Key species for the province include Green Peafowl, Hume's Pheasant, Sarus Crane.Reserves
There are a total of at least 97 reserves, mostly found around the perimeter of the province. This includes famous scenic spots such as the Western Hills near Kunming, the mountains around Erhai lake near Dali and the Jade Dragon Snow mountain area near Lijiang.Geography of the Province
The topography of the province shows sharply fractured landscapes close the border with Myanmar. There are high mountain ranges interspersed with major rivers including the Salween and the Mekong.Habitat and Vegetation
There are estimated to be more than 14,000 different species of plants found in the province. Forest cover is still relatively high at greater than 20% of the total area of the province.
Access
The capital Kunming is the primary entrance point for visitors to the province. The international airport has links to both Thailand and Kolkata in India as well as frequent flights to Hong Kong and Shenzhen.Contacts
N/AMaps
Maps of the province are readily available.