Xiamen's ancient name is "Egret Island" and, to this day, the egret is the symbol of the city. 

The egret belongs to the Ardeidae family and is one of the world's rarest birds. Xiamen is home to the Egretta garzetta, Egretta intermedia, Ardea alba, Chinese egret and Egretta sacra, which are the only five species documented in China at present. Besides Egretta sacra, which has grey feathers, the others are all white. Egrets are often seen soaring in the blue sky and have become a dynamic tourist attraction in Xiamen.