Soaring through the sky in flocks 3 kilometers long
The Baikal Teal is a migratory bird that raises its young in Siberia and spends winter in Japan, China, and Korea. The male has beautiful feathers that almost look like they have been painted on. A long time ago there were large numbers of Baikal Teals and their flocks sometimes stretched across the sky for up to 3 kilometers. However, their numbers began decreasing in the 1970s and now there is concern that they may become extinct in the near future.

Overhunting and the threat of extinction
The reason why there are fewer of these beautiful birds than there used to be is because of overhunting by humans. The Baikal Teal forms large flocks, making it easy to shoot or trap many birds at once. They are now protected in many countries and regions, and there now appear to be more of them than was once thought. However, the land where they raise their young is still not protected and the natural habitat where they spend the winter is disappearing. The threat of extinction is not gone yet.