Ningbo seabird project seeks international volunteers

[Video/Ningbo Evening News]

As breeding season for seabirds approaches, Jiushan Islands in Xiangshan county, Ningbo is once again recruiting bird breeding monitors — offering what netizens call "the most poetic job in the world".

For the first time, this year's project is also welcoming four international volunteers to join the team and observe the critically endangered Chinese crested terns, often dubbed the "birds of legend".

Monitors will track the full breeding cycle of terns: arrival, courtship, egg-laying, incubation, chick-rearing, and departure. Daily tasks include habitat preparation, predator control, disease monitoring, field observations, and public education. Volunteers will also assist with filming and research documentation.

Launched in 2013, the Jiushan Islands project was the world's first to restore Chinese crested tern populations through artificial attraction. Since then, over 500 volunteers have taken part, and 209 chicks — over 80 percent of the global total — have hatched successfully.

Selected international volunteers will work in pairs on rotation in late May. Applicants should be passionate about nature, aged 20 to 55, and comfortable with fieldwork. Chinese language skills, birdwatching experience, or a science/social media background are a plus. Basic expenses will be covered.