A pair of paradise flycatchers lost their chick to an azure-winged magpie in a fierce struggle captured on camera at the Yellow River wetland in Pinglu County, Yuncheng City of north China's Shanxi Province.
In the footage, the magpie perched on a branch, poised to strike the nest below. The parent birds repeatedly dove and pecked at the intruder, but the magpie proved stronger. After several skirmishes, it snatched one of the chicks and flew off.
The encounter offers a rare and vivid glimpse into the raw realities of nature, where life and death are decided in moments. Experts explain that such predation is a natural part of avian reproduction, a classic example of survival of the fittest that helps maintain ecological balance.
Parent birds battle fiercely to protect chick at Yellow River wetland
A sudden downpour triggered flash floods on Saturday in Jiande City, east China's Zhejiang Province, with authorities at all levels rolling out emergency measures to ensure people's safety.
From 11:00 Saturday to 08:00 Sunday, the average rainfall in Jiande reached 56 millimeters, with 132 monitoring stations recording cumulative rainfall exceeding 50 millimeters. In order to mitigate risks, local authorities organized the overnight evacuation of residents from hazardous areas.
In multiple villages and towns within Yangxi Community, mudslides and other hazardous situations occurred amid the heavy rainfall. Many residential houses collapsed or were damaged, and infrastructure such as rural roads, drinking water, and electricity also sustained varying degrees of damage. Following the disaster, local authorities quickly activated emergency response plans and launched overnight rescue operations. Village officials and police officers carried out door-to-door checks and relocated stranded villagers, finishing the operations before the floodwaters rose further.
"So far, all the villagers are safe. Village cadres came to help immediately and drained the floodwater from our houses," said Hong Xinjun, a villager from Youyi Village.
As of 12:00 on Sunday, a total of 290 people had been evacuated. All have been safely relocated in centralized settlement sites.
Flash floods prompt overnight rescue operations in Zhejiang
