Deep Bay is an increasingly important wetland for threatened bird species Collared Crow and Spoon-billed Sandpiper

A latest bird survey indicated that Deep Bay is increasingly important as a wetland sheltering some of the world's threatened birds, including two of the five bird species which occur in Deep Bay "uplisted" to a higher conservation status last year, meaning enhanced habitat management work at Mai Po and continued protection of the surrounding fishponds is crucial for the long-term survival of these birds.

Collared Crow was listed as "Near Threatened" bird species on the IUCN Red List last year, and the latest bird survey completed by WWF Hong Kong last month recorded 112 individuals in Deep Bay, the highest single flock count in Hong Kong ever. "The Deep Bay wetland area is now a significant stronghold for the crow in Asia in light of declining and disappearing populations at former sites in Mainland China and Vietnam." said Bena Smith, WWF Hong Kong Mai Po Reserve Manager.

Collared Crow is a local resident and breeder in Hong Kong, and is closely associated with wetland and coastal areas. During the day they can be found foraging at drained gei wai/fish ponds in the Deep Bay area, and at night roost in the inter-tidal mangrove. WWF regularly monitors the crows' roosting population at Mai Po, which has been steady over the past four years (mean summer count is around 75 individuals) with the last peak count being 103 individuals in 2006 before this new record.

The other Deep Bay visitor also recently uplisted on the IUCN Red List is the critically-endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper. Data from the Hong Kong government's waterbird monitoring programme shows that only 1-2 individuals have stopped over in Hong Kong in the past two springs, compared to 8 individuals in 2007. Its global population has declined rapidly over the past decade, and surveys carried out at its breeding ground in 2007 revealed less then 320 pairs were nesting. Hence, its Red List status was upgraded from Vulnerable to Endangered in 2004 and then further upgraded to Critically Endangered in 2008.
 

The Spoon-billed Sandpiper is a very rare spring migrant to the Deep Bay area, with a typical day count of not more then 2 individuals in April. All records in Hong Kong indicate that this species strongly relies on the Deep Bay mudflat and the Mai Po gei wai during its passage. Due to the bird's rarity and charismatic appearance, it attracts many foreign birdwatchers to Hong Kong each year.

"The Spoon-billed Sandpiper could soon be extinct if wetlands vital to its migration process continue to be lost. Large-scale reclamation of inter-tidal mudflat is set to continue with the proposed Songdo project in South Korea, and a proposed port development project on the coast of Bangladesh. The latter is one of the most important wintering sites for this species and our Asian Waterbird Conservation Fund is supporting a project there," Bena Smith added.

The Deep Bay area, including the Mai Po and Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site and surrounding fishponds, is a key site in the East Asian- Australian Flyway (EAAF) and a haven for migratory birds. In 2009, four new bird species to Hong Kong were recorded in the Deep Bay area, including a Steppe Eagle, a Tundra Bean Goose, an American Wigeon and a Great Thick-knee. At a local level, WWF continues to enhance habitats at the Nature Reserve, works with the local community to conserve fishponds, and at a regional level supports work in the EAAF to protect these important bird species and their wetland habitats against increasing development threats.