From October 24 to 27, the 18th Chinese Ornithological Congress, organized by the Ornithological Society of China, a division of the Chinese Society of Zoology. The congress hosted by the College of Forestry, the College of Animal Science and Technology of GXU, and held in GXU. Attendees included Xiao Jianzhuang, Vice President of GXU; Liu Jiakai, Vice Chairman and First-Level Inspector of the Guangxi Association for Science and Technology; Leng Guangming, Second-Level Inspector of the Guangxi Forestry Department; Zhang Yanyun, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Committee of Beijing Normal University; Zhan Xiangjiang, Deputy Director of the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Beijing); and others.

Xiao Jianzhuang, on behalf of the university, extended a welcome to the attending guests and introduced the university's multiple breakthrough achievements in ornithological research, as well as progress in ecological protection and discipline construction. He stated that the university adheres to fulfilling the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education, cultivating and supplying large numbers of professional talents for Guangxi and the whole country. He expressed the hope to take this congress as an opportunity to continuously deepen discipline construction and inject new momentum into serving the national ecological civilization strategy.

Liu Jiakai stated that Guangxi will continuously support the integration of ornithological research with public science communication to stimulate enthusiasm for ecological protection from all sectors of society. The Guangxi Association for Science and Technology actively builds bridges to facilitate the flow of scientific research resources downwards, has already contributed Guangxi's solutions to global migratory bird conservation, and looks forward to starting from this congress, promoting the in-depth connection of the Ornithological Society of China with Guangxi, regularly channeling academic activities and high-level talents, and helping the Guangxi become a source of green innovation.

Leng Guangming pointed out that Guangxi, as an important migratory flyway for birds, an ecological barrier, and a critical area for bird migration stopovers, is rich in bird resources. This presents a vivid picture of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, and serves as a significant focus and display window for ecological civilization construction, possessing unique regional advantages. He looked forward to using the congress as a platform to promote cross-regional scientific research collaboration and hoped experts would focus on the protection of rare birds and habitat restoration, strengthen coordination and linkage, and accelerate the translation of scientific research results into practical applications.

The congress organized 6 plenary reports, 28 symposiums, 7 rapid-fire sessions, and 7 round-table discussions, displayed 112 posters, and included over 430 abstracts. Four international scholars, including Tim Coulson, were invited to deliver reports. The congress attracted over a thousand representatives from scientific research institutions and universities across China, as well as from regions and countries including Europe and America. The congress presented multiple honors. GXU, as the host unit, received a commemorative plaque. Professor Zhou Fang from GXU received the "Honorary Certificate of Lifetime Achievement in Chinese Ornithological Research", and Professor Jiang Aiwu and three others received the "Congress Outstanding Contribution Award". During the congress, the Guangxi University Campus Bird Race was also held, attracting 257 participants from 84 teams, who published 2,181 birding records and observed 127 bird species. Three new campus records were added: Band-bellied Crake, Black-headed Gull, and Blue-throated Barbet, demonstrating the practice of integrating public science with academic research.