ajohn

Today I found a Black-crowned Night Heron which had been trapped by a fish-hook set next to a fish pond. The bird has been rescued and has been taken to Kadoorie Farm for rehabilitation.

This is the third case of fish-pond hooks I have heard about in the past week. Fortunately I am not aware of any birds dying this winter as a result of the hooks, but in most winters several waterbirds die, either from swallowing the hooks or from getting trapped and then being unable to feed. This has included Black-faced Spoonbills as well as numerous Egrets,
Pond Herons and Night Herons. KFBG have fortunately been able to save some birds in the past, but I suspect that many hooked birds go undetected.

If you encounter any hooks set around fish ponds, I would encourage you to report these to AFCD for action. The best person to contact is C.T. Shek (ct_shek (at) afcd.gov.hk), who should be able to arrange for AFCD wardens to investigate the site.

Remember that if you do find a bird trapped on a hook, it will be stressed and will try to escape, which may result in more injury. I would recommend that you avoid disturbing the bird as much as possible. If you happen to be close to the bird, be aware that herons/egrets will try to defend themselves with their bill, often aiming for the eyes of their 'attacker' so be especially careful of the bill!