Beidaihe sits on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, one of the world's great migration corridors, where birds move between Siberian and Arctic breeding grounds and wintering areas across Southeast Asia and Australia. The town's mix of coastal habitats — sea, mudflats, scrub, pine plantation, wetland — acts as a magnet for migrants needing to rest and refuel. During spring (mid-April to late May) and autumn (September to mid-November), the sheer variety and density of birds passing through can be extraordinary.
The main birding spots are concentrated around Pigeon Nest Park, Lianfeng Mountain, the reed beds of the Beidaihe Wetland Reserve to the west of town, and the area around Shihuiyao village. Chinese and international birders converge here in spring, and it is not unusual to record 100 species in a single day during peak passage. Notable species include Oriental Stork, Chinese Egret, Amur Falcon, and a wide range of warblers and flycatchers that are otherwise difficult to see. A local birdwatching society runs guided trips during the main migration windows.