A pair of protected common kestrels have turned an abandoned magpie nest on a telecom tower in Beijing's suburban Changping District into an unlikely nursery, offering a rare glimpse of birds of prey raising chicks in a built-up area.
The kestrels, a wild animal species under the second-class state protection in China, settled on the 30-meter-high tower, drawing birdwatchers and residents in the past few days.
Footage filmed by birdwatchers earlier showed an adult kestrel returning from a hunt and landing near the nest, where several fluffy chicks stretched their necks and flapped their wings as they waited to be fed.
The chicks have since shed their gray down and developed brown streaks and markings. They are now practicing flying.
"I basically come here every day now. It is very interesting to watch kestrels raise their chicks. The male bird is responsible for going out to hunt. Upon returning, he hands the food to the female, who feeds the chicks," said birdwatcher Si Shoujun.
"These are the two parent birds. The one on the left is the male, and the one on this side is the female. Today, I captured both of them in the same frame because the male returned to the nest without food. When the female saw that he came back with nothing, she tried to force him to go out and look for food, because there are still three chicks in the nest waiting for feed," Si explained.
Common kestrels are a relatively common raptor species in Beijing and are often seen in green spaces where vegetation is abundant. But nesting and raising chicks in the city's built-up areas is less common.
Beijing is now home to 531 recorded bird species, according to local authorities.
Protected kestrels turn Beijing telecom tower into unlikely nursery
China's United Nations (UN) envoy on Friday stressed the need to jointly safeguard the outcomes of World War II victory and warned against the resurgence of "neo-militarism" during a General Assembly session commemorating UN Charter Day.
Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN, said that commemorating the UN Charter Day is both a review of history and a look to the future.
He said that in today's world of intertwined changes and turmoil, the UN faces crises and challenges, and that all countries must uphold the UN Charter with concrete actions and work together to revitalize, reinvigorate, and strengthen the UN.
Fu also stressed the importance of returning to the founding principles of the UN Charter.
"The UN stands as a pivotal achievement of the World Anti-Fascist War. Its Charter embodies humanity's collective reflection on history, its enduring pursuit of peace, and its aspiration for justice. It is incumbent upon all of us to jointly safeguard the hard-won outcomes of World War II, foster a correct understanding of history, and firmly oppose any erroneous rhetoric or actions that seek to distort the past. We must never allow the tragedies of history to repeat themselves, nor permit 'neo-militarism' to gather strength and pose a real threat," said Fu.
He also urged upholding the spirit of the Charter, noting that the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter, including sovereign equality and peaceful settlement of disputes, have played an irreplaceable role in maintaining overall world peace over the past eight decades.
"The root cause of today's looming war clouds and the resurgence of the law of the jungle is not that the UN Charter is outdated, but that it has not been effectively implemented. The more complex and turbulent the situation, the more necessary it is to uphold the UN-centered international system and abide by the basic norms of international relations based on the Charter," said Fu.
Fu further called for fulfilling the obligations under the UN Charter, stressing that defending the authority and effectiveness of the UN Charter requires not just rhetoric but concrete actions.
"All countries should practice true multilateralism, support the UN in playing a central role in international affairs, and work for a more just and equitable global governance system. Major countries, in particular, should shoulder their responsibilities, take the lead in upholding the rule of law, follow the right path, and set an example for others," said Fu.
China, as the first country to sign the UN Charter, will continue to honor its solemn commitments under the UN Charter with concrete actions and make unremitting efforts to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Fu said.
Chinese envoy urges return to UN Charter's founding principles, warns against 'neo-militarism'
