Abstract: Xiamen Bay, located in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, is a crucial habitat for numerous migratory bird species. Understanding the abundance and distribution of birds in this region is vital for the conservation of wild bird populations. In this study, bird diversity surveys in 2023 were conducted in Xiamen Bay, Fujian Province, where surveys, at least one survey per month, were performed at 25 sites using the line transect method. In 2023, a total of 93 waterbirds belonging to 15 families in 7 orders were recorded , with 16 species being listed as State Key Protected Wild Animals. These 93 species accounts for 31.4% of the total waterbirds in China. Regarding residency types, the majority of recorded species were winter visitors. Specifically, the numbers of winter visitors, summer visitors, passing migrants, residents and vagrants were 54, 9, 16, 12 and 2 species, respectively. The routine surveys, conducted three times per season, recorded waterbird species of 79 in spring, 45 in summer, 61 in autumn and 65 in winter, with individual counts of 28 714, 4 701, 12 001 and 55 784, respectively. The data revealed that seasonal abundances of waterbird populations were higher in spring and winter, deceased in summer and fell between winter and summer in autumn. Notably, Qixing Reef, Maluan Bay, Xiahoubin and Zhangdai Bridge of Xiamen Bay were founded as the most important habitats of the waterbirds. Additionally, this study created a comprehensive checklist of waterbirds in Xiamen Bay based on literature and public databases. A total of 174 waterbirds species, belonging to 23 families of 9 orders were documented. The findings of this study provide essential data for the conservation and management of wild bird populations in Xiamen Bay.