Hong Kong is full of skyscrapers and is known as the concrete forest.
However, this "forest" is full of dangers for the birds that shuttle between the buildings.
The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society stated that birds may not be able to recognize glass curtain walls and mirrors. They mistakenly think that they can fly over, and they hit the glass and are injured or even killed.
The association has compiled bird strike records from September to December last year, involving a total of 196 birds, of which 179 died, including two national "near-threatened" locust warblers; another one is "critically endangered" globally Huang Ching-Hai was also injured.
The association also pointed out that the Sha Tin district had the most bird strikes, involving 43 birds within four months. Among them, in November, a group bird strike occurred at the Dream Terrace of Wu Yee Sun College, CUHK. At least 35 white-headed bulbuls were suspected of colliding with In one week, at least 24 bird islands crashed into One Harbor Square in Kwun Tong, and the glass curtain wall of AIA Tower in North Point died.
The Bird Watching Society stated that looking at the various cases, they mainly involved buildings or shopping malls with glass or mirror exterior walls, transparent noise barriers, transparent glass railings and village houses, etc.
The association suggested hanging objects outside the building, or affixing anti-bird strike stickers, which can reduce the degree of glass reflection, and it is estimated that 90% of the risk of death and injury of birds hitting windows can be reduced.
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Investigators observe dead birds on the spot, including national second-class protected animals
The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society selected five potential "bird strike black spots" surveys from September 1 to December 31 last year. 22 trained voluntary bird strike investigators followed the same survey route every month. Three bird strike surveys were carried out at five locations: Mei Foo, Tsing Yi, Tsim Sha Tsui, Chinese University campus, and Hong Kong University campus.
In addition, the association also uses a globally synchronized and open bird strike reporting platform "Global Bird Strike Map" to analyze the bird strike data at the above time.
Based on the comprehensive data, the association obtained 141 bird strike reports, including 196 bird strike individuals, and 35 bird strike rubbings, that is, the feather powder, feathers or excrement left on the glass surface after the bird strikes the glass.
Of the 196 birds, 179 died and 17 were injured, involving 19 families and 38 bird species, seven of which belong to conservation-level species, such as the "critically endangered" yellow-breasted hawk in the world, which belongs to the second-level national protection Animals include the eagle owl and the blue-throated songbird, and the lance-spotted locust warbler listed as "near threatened" in the Mainland.
Species of birds that strike glass (Hong Kong Bird Watching Society)
Wu Yee Sun College, CUHK Wu Yee Sun College turns the glass railing of Dream Terrace into a "Wanniao Terrace"
In addition, the distribution of bird strikes by region shows that the five districts with the most recorded bird strikes are Sha Tin District (43), Eastern District (37), Kwun Tong District (22), Wan Chai District (17), and Outlying Islands. area (13 only).
Among them, the Sha Tin area mainly comes from CUHK and Fo Tan Road. Among them, in November, a mass bird strike occurred at the Yumeng Terrace of Wu Yee Sun College, CUHK. At least 35 white-headed bulbuls were suspected to have died because they crashed into the transparent glass railing.
The glass curtain wall of One Harbor Square in Kwun Tong and AIA Tower in North Point kills birds
The association's report also mentioned that on November 30 last year, 14 chestnut-necked babblers were suspected to have crashed into the glass curtain wall and died or were injured on November 30 last year; by December 3, AIA Tower in North Point also recorded 10 chestnut-necked babblers were suspected of colliding with glass to death.
On December 3, 10 chestnut-necked babblers were suspected to have crashed into the glass and died in AIA Tower in North Point.
(Hong Kong Bird Watching Society / Tang Ho Fun)
One Harbor Square (file photo)
Bird watching: Birds mistakenly think they can go through glass
According to the Bird Watching Association, from the observation records, the types of buildings involved in bird strikes include academic buildings, commercial buildings, government buildings, shopping malls, transparent noise barriers, transparent glass railings, and glass buildings with glass or mirror exterior walls. Doors and windows of village houses, etc.
Huang Xuemei, Conservation Director of the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, said that generally speaking, if modern buildings have more glass or are designed with mirrors, there is a higher risk of bird strikes. Birds will mistakenly think that they can pass through the glass and hit the glass.
North Point AIA Tower (AIA TOWER website)
Huang Xuemei pointed out that the flying speed of birds can reach more than 50 kilometers per hour. If they are evading natural enemies, the speed can be faster. Once they hit the glass by mistake, they are prone to death and injury.
She continued that after a bird hits the glass, generally there will be no obvious injuries on the body, but there may be fractures, vomiting blood, etc., and may also have difficulty breathing and weakness of limbs. Parts stay in place, even dead.
If the public finds the relevant situation, they can observe whether there are buildings within three meters. After the bird strikes, there will be rubbings on the glass, such as feather powder, feathers or excrement.
There are three ways to rescue an injured bird
Huang Xuemei continued to point out that citizens are expected to take photos to record the relevant situation, and upload the data to the Global Bird Strike Map, or email it to the Bird Watching Society. For details, please visit its website.
If the bird is not dead, she reminds the public that since the bird is protected by law and may involve internal injuries, they should not handle it by themselves. They can call 1823 to notify the Fisheries and Conservation Department, the Society for the Protection of Animals, or the Kadoorie Farm.
The Bird Watching Society hopes that it can continue to collect data, monitor and analyze for a long time, and promote Hong Kong to become a "bird-friendly" city in the long run, reducing unnecessary human-bird conflicts.
Huang Xuemei also mentioned that the owner can hang objects outside the building, or paste bird strike stickers to reduce the degree of glass reflection, which is estimated to reduce the risk of death and injury of birds hitting windows by 90%. There were 30 bird strike incidents in November, but after the anti-bird strike stickers were affixed in December, no bird strike cases were recorded in December.
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