Wildlife of
Beijing Shi

Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests cover Beijing's mountainous districts (Mentougou, Yanqing, Huairou, Miyun, Pinggu), including secondary oak-birch-maple woods and pine and other conifer plantations on slopes, key to Beijing's plant and animal life.

Majority of the municipality's non-urban area; concentrated in the north and west mountains and foothills.

Open grassland-like plants form meadows on upland plateaus and ridge tops and grow in disturbed areas in foothills, parks, and field edges. Many places are partly natural or kept by people, not pristine steppe.

Scattered and minor; mostly as patches within the mountainous belt and peri-urban matrix.

Near the highest peaks (e.g., around Dongling Mountain), cooler conditions support subalpine shrub-meadow mosaics and wind-exposed ridge vegetation that function as an 'alpine-like' environment at local scale (though true alpine zones are limited).

Very small, restricted to highest elevations in the western mountains.

Rivers (Yongding, Chaobai, Juma and tributaries), reservoirs (notably Miyun Reservoir), canals, and urban lakes/ponds support fish, amphibians, riparian vegetation, and waterbird habitat; flow is highly regulated with many engineered channels.

Linear and nodal; distributed across the municipality with strongest expression in major river corridors and reservoirs.

Managed and remnant wetlands (e.g., Yeyahu, Cuihu, sections of the Chaobai/Yongding floodplains) provide reedbeds, shallow foraging areas, and roosting sites for migratory birds; many are restored or artificially maintained.

Localized pockets, mainly in peri-urban lowlands and reservoir/river-adjacent areas; relatively limited compared with historical extent.

Highly built-up core with fragmented green spaces (street trees, urban parks, campus greens), supporting urban-adapted birds and small mammals; significant heat-island and habitat fragmentation effects.

Ring of lower-density development with larger parks, shelterbelts, and mixed land uses; important transition zone connecting urban green spaces to foothills.

Cropland, orchards, and greenhouse agriculture on the plains and valley bottoms; field margins and irrigation features can provide secondary habitat for birds and pollinators.

Yan and Taihang mountain landscapes with steep elevational gradients, cooler microclimates, and high habitat heterogeneity; key for regional biodiversity and watershed function.

Widespread in mountainous districts, including secondary native stands and extensive reforestation areas; provides cover and breeding habitat for many forest birds.

Broadleaf-dominated slopes and valleys (often oak and other temperate deciduous species) in less arid or better-watered mountain areas; strong seasonal dynamics.

Plantation and mixed conifer stands (including pine) on many slopes and ridges, common in reforested belts; can be relatively uniform structurally compared with native mixed stands.

Dry, sun-exposed slopes and disturbed hillsides often carry shrub and scrub communities; important for edge species and erosion control.

Meadow-like openings, ridgeline grass patches, and managed grass areas (including some restored sites) within the mountain-foothill matrix.

Major river corridors (Yongding, Chaobai and tributaries) with engineered sections and remnant riparian stretches; provide movement corridors and foraging areas for birds.

Large standing-water bodies primarily as reservoirs (especially Miyun) plus notable park lakes; important for waterbirds but subject to water-level management.

Small impoundments, farm ponds, and urban park ponds; locally important for amphibians and dragonflies where water quality is adequate.

Peri-urban and restored wetland parks and floodplain wetlands that support reeds, shallow-water habitat, and migratory bird stopovers.

Reed-dominated marsh pockets in managed wetlands (e.g., around lake/reservoir margins and constructed wetland areas) used by waterfowl and passerines.

Rocky outcrops and steep faces in mountain areas provide nesting/roosting sites for cliff-associated birds and refuge for specialized plants.

Karst-like features and small caves/rock shelters in some mountain areas (localized), potentially supporting bats and cave-dwelling invertebrates.