GUANGZHOU, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- China's southern province of Guangdong will put a five-year ban on wild bird hunting starting from Jan. 1 of 2019, the local forestry department said Wednesday.

During the period, hunting wild birds is banned except for ecological, scientific, disease-prevention or flight-safety purposes. Using and trading bird nets and traps are also prohibited.

The province will also crack down on wild bird trading and trafficking, according to the local forestry department. Since August 2017, the province has confiscated more than 30,000 birds traded illicitly.

Guangdong is a major passage and habitat for migratory birds heading south during the winter.

A similar ban was put in place in central China's Hubei Province days earlier.