Young birders take flight

He also co-founded Wildlight Studio with friends, organizing birdwatching trips and citizen science activities.

"Through these initiatives, we hope to raise awareness of nature and environmental protection, especially among children," he said.

During a recent outing at Shanghai Expo Culture Park, Zhao led a group of 15 participants, around 90 percent of whom were between 20 and 30 years old. He said the group reflected a clear generational shift in attitudes toward birdwatching.

"Older birders often focused on capturing perfect photographs, sometimes even feeding birds mealworms to get close-up shots," he said. "Younger birders tend to show respect for nature and follow ecological principles."

Yang, too, has moved beyond observation. He assists his father with waterbird monitoring, recording breeding conditions and population changes. He also takes part in volunteer efforts to remove illegal bird nets and protect bird habitats.

Earlier this year, he found a bird net near a village with five or six dead birds trapped in it. He immediately reported it to a local birdwatching association, which organized a cleanup.

"After I reported it, my luck seemed unusually good," he said. "Within 20 minutes, I saw four species of raptors, even though it wasn't migration season. It felt as though good things happened after I did the right thing."

For Yang, birdwatching is no longer simply about adding species to a list. He often quotes the late British primatologist Jane Goodall: "Only if we understand, can we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help, we shall be saved."

"Birdwatching will be a lifelong hobby for me," he said. "I also hope to do more to help birds live better lives."