Abstract
The lowland region surrounding the Poyang Lake is crisscrossed with an intricate system of man-made waterworks. High, earthwork dikes form rings around the lakeshore and line the riverbanks to prevent floods and extend agriculture onto fertile riverine soil. Irrigation ditches run alongside most roads. Small ponds, initially dug for fish farming, are scattered around villages. Today, many of these water bodies have been repurposed for duck farming and are populated with flocks of swimming white birds. Duck sheds, made of wooden slats and plastic sheeting, often stand at the water’s edge (see figure 3.1). “To drive anywhere,” wild bird researcher