wgeoff

Hi Alan

The changes in numbers of waterbird species in Deep Bay over the last 25 years are quite well established and known. However, many Hong Kong land bird species have also declined or grown since the 1990s, due either to changes in the Hong Kong environment or elsewhere in southern and eastern China.

This presentation will focus on around 20 land bird species which have declined substantially in numbers and another 20 land bird species which have grown substantially and increased their range in Hong Kong, looking at how the changes have happened and what the causes may be. Although some declines and increases are well known, there are many others which are not so well known (e.g. buntings and babblers) and some of the declines in particular give concern for the future of those species in Hong Kong and elsewhere.

The presentation will be in English but with some Chinese in the Powerpoint slides. However the graphs and photos can be easily understood in either language.

Geoff

Perhaps someone can translate this reply into Chinese

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 25/10/2015 15:02 ]

wgeoff

Thanks Mr Tai.

We have not identified either of these species as declining in Hong Kong as a whole, although we have really not looked in detail at the Leafbird. I will do so now.
Nest predation by monkeys is, I guess, a localised problem, although it may be significant in the central area (the Brown-breasted Flycatcher breeding in TPK in 2014 lost at least one nest to monkeys).

One of the purposes of our talk is to bring these issues out into the open and give an opportunity to look at them in detail. I hope we can receive more comments like these before and especially after the meeting.

Geoff

wgeoff

Thanks Dylan.

We will deal with some of these species at the talk. But not Chinese Francolin, because our data does not easily allow analysis of this species.
However, like you, we think this species has declined all over Hong Kong due to habitat change. If you look at the Breeding Bird Survey chart for Chinese Francolin given on page 61 of The Avifauna,



it's hard to believe this hasn't declined from a large part of Hong Kong. The Breeding Bird survey was done in 1993-96.

Hope to see you next Wednesday.