The area around Ankang and the adjacent Hanzhong area to the west is the heartland of the crested ibis (Nipponia nippon) — a strikingly beautiful white bird with a scarlet face that was once widespread across East Asia and came within a few individuals of extinction in the 20th century. The birds nest in old trees in forest patches near rice paddies and wetlands in the Qinling foothills; the landscape of the Hanzhong and Ankang valleys, with their terraced fields and traditional villages, provides exactly the habitat they need.
The Hanzhong Crested Ibis National Nature Reserve is the formal protection area, centred on Yangxian County. Ankang provides convenient access to the southern part of the range. Guided wildlife-watching trips can be arranged through hotels in Ankang; local birding guides know the current nesting sites. The birds are most visible outside the nesting season (late spring through summer) when they forage in the paddies.