Captured on camera! The Chinese Crested Tern’s iconic courtship moment.

After waiting for days on the seaside beach at Liujiawan in Rizhao, Shandong, a group of bird photography enthusiasts finally got their wish and captured the classic scene of a Chinese crested tern offering a fish to its mate as a courtship gesture.

The Chinese crested tern, known as the "mythical bird," is the waterbird species with the smallest extant population on Earth. It was once thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in the early 2000s; today, only just over 200 individuals remain worldwide.

Every autumn during migration, they stop over on the beaches of Rizhao to rest, regroup, and replenish their energy.

When the female accepts the male's offering, it means she has accepted his love.