Hong Kong
Hong Kong is a compact territory on China's southern coast, combining one of the world's most densely urbanised cityscapes with surprisingly extensive natural areas. Steep granite hills, subtropical woodland, shrubland, reservoirs and wetlands occupy much of the territory beyond the main urban centres, while more than 250 islands create a complex coastline of bays, mudflats and rocky shores. The New Territories contain the largest continuous rural landscapes, contrasting strongly with the dense development around Victoria Harbour and Kowloon. Hong Kong has a humid subtropical climate influenced by the East Asian monsoon, with hot, wet summers and cooler, drier winters.
Overview
Hong Kong is an exceptional location for East Asian migration and wetland birding despite its small size. The internationally important Mai Po and Inner Deep Bay wetlands are the premier site, supporting large numbers of ducks, shorebirds, herons and egrets, including Black-faced Spoonbill. Spring and autumn migration can bring an impressive variety of flycatchers, thrushes, warblers and occasional regional rarities, while forested hills support species such as Great Barbet, Scarlet Minivet and Fork-tailed Sunbird. Hong Kong has an active birding community, excellent public transport and many productive sites within easy reach of the city, making independent birding unusually convenient. Some sections of Mai Po require advance booking or controlled access. The combination of major migration routes, internationally important wetlands and exceptional urban accessibility makes Hong Kong one of East Asia's easiest places for concentrated birding.
Top 10 target species
| Species | Annual frequency | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus | 68.6% | 67.8% | 72.1% | 72.7% | 70.7% | 69.7% | 70.8% | 66.9% | 61.5% | 67.7% | 66.7% | 67.7% | 69.4% |
| Spotted Dove Spilopelia chinensis | 64.5% | 63.9% | 67.0% | 65.5% | 65.3% | 62.1% | 60.7% | 62.8% | 62.1% | 68.0% | 66.0% | 66.9% | 64.3% |
| Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis | 53.0% | 49.7% | 52.6% | 55.0% | 56.8% | 54.3% | 55.6% | 53.1% | 49.4% | 52.6% | 51.2% | 53.5% | 52.4% |
| Light-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus sinensis | 51.6% | 55.7% | 58.7% | 58.8% | 57.7% | 53.1% | 44.3% | 43.0% | 36.8% | 44.7% | 49.3% | 58.5% | 58.9% |
| Swinhoe's White-eye Zosterops simplex | 49.4% | 55.7% | 57.0% | 52.0% | 46.8% | 43.3% | 44.6% | 45.1% | 47.6% | 52.5% | 46.9% | 48.0% | 53.0% |
| Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus | 49.1% | 42.6% | 43.8% | 42.8% | 47.2% | 51.3% | 57.3% | 58.2% | 52.2% | 50.6% | 50.2% | 49.9% | 42.5% |
| Black Kite Milvus migrans | 47.1% | 48.5% | 52.8% | 53.8% | 56.0% | 49.6% | 41.4% | 41.1% | 36.0% | 41.3% | 47.9% | 49.4% | 48.0% |
| Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius | 44.6% | 44.6% | 46.8% | 45.5% | 44.4% | 43.4% | 42.8% | 43.7% | 44.9% | 50.2% | 41.8% | 42.7% | 44.4% |
| Black-collared Starling Gracupica nigricollis | 44.1% | 38.7% | 42.4% | 43.8% | 44.4% | 45.0% | 44.8% | 48.8% | 44.0% | 44.2% | 46.4% | 47.1% | 39.3% |
| Crested Myna Acridotheres cristatellus | 40.9% | 33.8% | 37.4% | 41.0% | 46.6% | 46.3% | 45.1% | 45.0% | 38.0% | 38.5% | 40.2% | 43.0% | 35.9% |