2023/12/05
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Wild Animal Calls

Wild Birds

 


Asian Koel

Although Hong Kong is a highly urbanized place, we have a high diversity of wildlife, including about 570 species of birds. Trees and wooded areas are natural roosting, foraging and breeding sites for wild birds. We could find various common bird species staying in parks, gardens and plantation near residential area, and in the country side.

 

 

Bird calling

 

 

 

Birds are more active in dawn and dusk in a day. They leave their roosts for foraging sites at dawn and then return to their roosts at dusk. When travellng in and out of their roosts, they communicate with each other by calls. In some cases, birds will hover above the roosting site before landing for security reasons, and during this situation, they will call to communicate with other members of the bird group. Nonetheless, wild birds are part of our nature and their courtship calling during the breeding period is also a natural phenomenon.

Breeding season

During courtship period, their calling would become more frequent and obvious than other seasons of the year. Some birds commonly seen in urban areas have special calls during their courtship season. For instance, Cuckoos (Cuculidae) usually start calling before dawn during the courtship period, it may cause certain nuisance to the nearby residents. However, such courtship period would only last for a short time (e.g. up to one to two months), and such special calling would significantly be decreased when the courtship period is over.

Things to do

  • In general, closing the windows could effectively reduce the nuisance caused by the calling of wild birds.
  • Feeding can encourage the gathering, roosting and nesting of wild birds, and should be avoided.
  • Avoid disturbing their natural behavior or harm the birds

 Members of the public should observe good personal hygiene and avoid contact with wild birds and their droppings. They should wash their hands thoroughly after contact with wild birds and their droppings.

 

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