Press Releases

Artificial nests installed for terns
Saturday, May 1, 2004

A total of 46 artificial nests have been mounted by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) on some rocky islands in eastern Hong Kong in an effort to conserve visiting terns.

Terns are a family of small to medium-sized seabirds with a long forked tail. The Bridled Tern, Black-naped Tern and Roseate Tern breed on some small rocky islands in the east of Hong Kong from May to September every year. More than 850 terns were recorded in Hong Kong last year, a spokesman for the AFCD said today (May 1).

"A field trial on artificial nests launched by the department last year has successfully helped boost reproduction of the species. The hatching rate of tern eggs in the artificial nests was 80%. This compared to the 28% hatching rate of eggs in natural non-sheltered environments," the spokesman said.

With the start of the breeding season for terns in May, the department has installed 46 artificial nests at the breeding sites. Prominent warning notices have been displayed at the sites to stop visitors from entering. Nature wardens will patrol the area regularly and monitor the population and breeding conditions of terns.

To protect the breeding sites, the spokesman urged the public including eco-tourists, bird watchers, to observe the following codes for watching terns:

Do not land on the terns' island during the breeding season from May to September. Watching terns should be done on a boat at least 20 metres from the site;
Take pictures of terns, but do not get too close to the nests and chicks;
Do not touch, take or damage tern eggs and chicks;
Do not throw stones, make loud noise or light fires in the vicinity of the breeding sites;
Do not take or damage any vegetation on or near the breeding sites; and
Take your litter away. Do not leave fishing lines, nets, hooks and other fishing tools on or near the breeding sites.
The spokesman reiterated that all wild birds including terns are protected in Hong Kong by the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance. Any person who wilfully disturbs, takes, removes or injures wild birds or their nests and eggs commits an offence and is liable to a maximum fine of $100,000 and to imprisonment for one year.
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