Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, recently welcomed a large number of black-headed gulls. It has become an important stopover for the birds as they fly south from Siberia when winter arrives. [Photo by Su Yong/For chinadaily.com.cn]

Beita Lake in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, recently welcomed a large number of black-headed gulls, which can be seen hovering over the lake and foraging, to the delight of photographers.

Every winter, around 40,000 black-headed gulls arrive in Yinchuan to rest before flying to warmer Kunming, Yunnan province.

Yinchuan has become an important stopover for the migratory birds as they make their seasonal trip from Siberia. Black-headed gulls have been observed there for 30 consecutive years.

Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, recently welcomed a large number of black-headed gulls. It has become an important stopover for the birds as they fly south from Siberia when winter arrives. [Photo by Su Yong/For chinadaily.com.cn]

Residents often prepare food to welcome and feed the birds and see them off again.

With a number of wetland parks, Yinchuan is listed among the first group of international cities to provide a suitable place for the gulls to pause.

In the city's Yange Lake community, the green coverage rate has reached nearly 41 percent, with water areas at 3.8 percent.

And many local hotels, restaurants and barber shops are named for the black-headed gulls, and residents and animals live in harmony.

Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, recently welcomed a large number of black-headed gulls. It has become an important stopover for the birds as they fly south from Siberia when winter arrives. [Photo by Su Yong/For chinadaily.com.cn]

Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, recently welcomed a large number of black-headed gulls. It has become an important stopover for the birds as they fly south from Siberia when winter arrives. [Photo by Su Yong/For chinadaily.com.cn]

Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, recently welcomed a large number of black-headed gulls. It has become an important stopover for the birds as they fly south from Siberia when winter arrives. [Photo by Su Yong/For chinadaily.com.cn]

Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, recently welcomed a large number of black-headed gulls. It has become an important stopover for the birds as they fly south from Siberia when winter arrives. [Photo by Su Yong/For chinadaily.com.cn]

Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, recently welcomed a large number of black-headed gulls. It has become an important stopover for the birds as they fly south from Siberia when winter arrives. [Photo by Su Yong/For chinadaily.com.cn]

Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, recently welcomed a large number of black-headed gulls. It has become an important stopover for the birds as they fly south from Siberia when winter arrives. [Photo by Su Yong/For chinadaily.com.cn]