The single most important factor in planning a visit to Poyang Lake is timing your arrival during the winter birdwatching season. From late October through March, the lake levels drop and the migratory birds arrive in extraordinary numbers. Peak crane numbers are usually in December and January, when Siberian cranes — the rarest of the species that winter here — are most concentrated on the southwestern reserves. February and March see the cranes beginning to depart but ducks and geese remaining in large numbers.
Summer visits (June to September) coincide with the highest water levels and the least birdlife. The lake is large and beautiful but feels empty of its signature wildlife. Spring (March to May) is transitional; autumn (October to November) marks the arrival of the first winter migrants and is an excellent time for a first visit if December-January feels too cold.