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China
中国版块
Birdwatching
观鸟
Shout it from the rooftops
公开宣布
Why birders are a rare breed
为什么观鸟者很少？
Among the capitals of big economies, Beijing enjoys a surprising distinction.
在各大经济体的首都中，北京和其他首都有着很大的不同。
Despite its sometimes harsh weather and chronically polluted air, it hosts more species of birds than any other such city apart from Brasília.
尽管有时天气恶劣，空气也会受到污染，但这里的鸟类物种比巴西利亚以外的任何其他城市都多。
Remarkably, however, birdwatching remains uncommon.
不过，奇怪的是，观鸟的人却很少见。
In many countries, birders play an important role in spotting changes in bird populations and avian behaviour.
在许多国家，观鸟者在发现鸟类种群和鸟类行为变化方面发挥着重要作用。
A British enthusiast in Beijing, Terry Townshend, has recently set up a means of doing so without needing to stand for hours outdoors.
一位在北京的英国鸟类爱好者特里·汤森最近创立了一种方法，可以不用在户外站几个小时也能观鸟。
It involves a digital listening device, installed on the roof of a 15-storey building in northern Beijing.
他运用了一个数字监听设备，安装在北京北部一座15层大楼的屋顶上。
For several months until mid-November it recorded the night-time calls of migratory birds flying above.
在11月中旬之前的几个月里，它记录了夜间鸟类迁徙时在空中飞行的叫声。
The sounds will be used to identify night-flying species, some of which are not commonly seen overhead by day.
这些声音将被用来识别夜间飞行的物种，其中一些在白天是不常见的。
The technique has been used in America and Europe, but Mr Townshend thinks this is its first known application in Asia.
该技术已经在美洲和欧洲国家使用过，但在亚洲还是首次使用。
Such dedication is rare among amateurs.
这种奉献敬业精神在业余爱好者中很少见。
China has little history of birdwatching.
中国几乎没有观鸟历史。
Only in the 19th century, led by Western ornithologists, did the scientific study of birds begin.
直到19世纪，在西方鸟类学家的影响下，才开始对鸟类进行科学研究。
Birdwatching as a pastime has emerged only in the past two decades, helped by rising incomes that have allowed people to buy spotting scopes, binoculars and cameras.
观鸟作为一种消遣方式在近二十年才出现，这得益于人们收入的增加，人们可以购买瞄准镜、双筒望远镜和照相机。
In other countries, enthusiasts have played a big role in drawing public attention to human threats to birds.
在其他国家，鸟类爱好者在提醒公众去注意人类对鸟类的威胁方面，扮演着重要角色。
Chinese officials sometimes pay attention to gentle recommendations about ways to improve the environment.
中国官方有时会注意有关改善环境的温和建议。
But they frown on activism.
但不赞成太激进。
So harm caused to birds or their habitats can go unremarked.
因此，对鸟类或其栖息地造成的伤害可能不容易注意到。
One British birder laments the recent draining of supposedly protected paddies by the Wenyu, a river in Beijing that had been a place of rest for about 200 migratory species.
北京的温榆河最近排干了水田，这里曾是大约200种迁徙物种的栖息之地，对此一位英国观鸟者表示惋惜。
Birdwatching groups in China mostly avoid campaigning.
中国的观鸟团体大多不太参加各种宣传活动。
Many of their members stick to taking photographs and do not even bother with binoculars.
他们的许多成员只是拍拍照，甚至都不用望远镜。
There is, however, a small but growing number of local birders who closely monitor bird migration.
不过，有数量不多但一直增加的当地观鸟者在密切监视鸟类的迁徙。
Mr Townshend's listening device may provide other valuable insights.
汤森先生的监听设备可能提供其他有价值的见解。
He plans to install more.
他计划安装更多设备。
