Bendy bamboo may not be the safest nesting place, but at least this youngster won't end up as someone's dinner. These chicks have just had an eel delivered by their mom, quite a challenge for little beaks. Providing their colonies are protected, wading birds like egrets are among the few wild creatures which benefit directly from intensive rice cultivation. Growing rice needs lots of water. But even in the rainy south, there are landscapes where water is surprisingly scarce.


易弯曲的竹子或许并非安家的最佳场所，但至少这些小家伙们不会成为捕食者的腹中餐。这些小家伙刚从母亲嘴里分得美食，对新生的小嘴着实是一大挑战。介于他们的栖息地是受保护的，像白鹭这样的候鸟是少数直接从发达的水稻种植中获益的鸟类。水稻生长需要大量的水，但即便是在多雨的南方，有些土地也面临缺水的危机。