NANCHANG, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- On the banks of Poyang Lake, China's largest freshwater lake, there lies a "bird village."

Dazizui Village, in Sushan Township, east China's Jiangxi Province, is home to 27 households and nearly 10,000 grey herons, a migratory bird that comes every winter.

The first time villagers saw grey herons was in the 1990s. The elegant bird with long legs and grey, black and white feathering, was deemed an "auspicious bird" that could bring fortune to the village.

Feeding on small fish, shrimps and loach, grey herons often appear in marshes, shallow lakes and ponds. They can stand still for hours hunting for food.

"Sometimes the natural supply of food is insufficient, and we prepare some food for them," said Xu Guosong, head of a local heron conservation association, adding that local residents formed a patrol team to protect the birds from poaching back in 2003.

The population of grey herons has been rising steadily. In 2018, there were over 3,000 grey herons wintering in the village, and their group further expanded to 6,000 in 2019 and nearly 10,000 by early 2021.

Xu Lianggui, 77, still remembers his days as a patroller. "We were always on duty protecting the birds in a shabby cabin, no matter rain or snow," said Xu.

Now as the villagers become more aware of the need to protect the birds, the patrol team has been disbanded, with the cabins remaining as the only witnesses to their efforts.

The chirruping birds have indeed brought good luck and fortune. Now the village has become a popular destination among shutterbugs, with a bird-watching terrace and hostels built under the support of the local government.

"I got up at four o'clock this morning to catch their graceful posture," said Liu Ping, a bird lover. "I hope more people can feel their beauty and take the initiative to protect our environment through my lens."

"Guarding the grey herons has become instinctive and is the first lesson we give our children," said Xu Guosong. "It's our obligation to protect these 'auspicious birds' from generation to generation." Enditem