Mai Po Wildlife

Birds

The importance of the Mai Po Inner Deep Bay wetlands for migratory birds has been known since the 1940s. More than 380 bird species (both migratory and resident), have been recorded from the wetlands, which is more than 80% of the total bird species known in Hong Kong. Twenty-seven of the Mai Po species are of global conservation concern.

Situated on the East Asia-Australasian Flyway, the Mai Po Inner Deep Bay wetland acts as an important stop-over site for many migratory shorebirds to rest, feed and replenish their energy reserves before setting off on the next stage of their long journey. In autumn, these migratory shorebirds are observed flying southward to their wintering grounds in south-east Asia and Australasia. They will pass through Hong Kong again in spring when they head back to their breeding sites in northern China, Mongolia and Siberia. During peak migration periods up to 10,000 waterbirds can be seen in a single day and it is estimated that a total of 120,000 waterbirds pass through Deep Bay each year.

© Angus Lau

The Mai Po and the Inner Deep Bay also serves as a wintering ground for over 50,000 waterbirds including thousands of duck, gulls, and the famous Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor. These birds typically arrive at Mai Po between late October to December and remain until March or April before heading north to their breeding grounds.

Although summer is regarded as a low season for bird watching in Hong Kong, a number of waterbird species such as White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus and Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis and a few terrestrial based species - White-shouldered Starling Sturnus sinensis and Long-tailed Shrike Lapius schach breed inside the Reserve. Within the last 10 years, changes have been observed in the breeding patterns of several waterbirds. Some new species like the Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus and Greater Painted Snipe Rostratula benghalensis have started breeding successfully each year at Mai Po but others like the Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha haringtoni are declining.

With such a variety of bird species and groups all of whom require specific habitat conditions or roosting areas at different times of the year, WWF HK has created a diverse range of wetland and other habitats at Mai Po. These include several shallow water gei wai high tide roosts for shorebirds, a series of freshwater ponds for ducks, large reedbed stands for specialist birds and small patches of tree and shrub for terrestrial birds.