WWF Mai Po

WWF Hong Kong is trying to gather data/information concerning the impact of climate change on Hong Kong's natural environment. Initial searches through scientific literature have turned up very little useful data.

A potential indicator could be date changes associated with the call of common birds each spring i.e. are calls being heard earlier each year over the last 20 years? Of the more vocal and easily distinguishable species, Cuckoos seem to be the most commonly reported in Hong Kong each year.

From the BBS postings this year it would seem the earliest Common Koel call heard was 3rd February at Tsing Yi. Although there are no postings for Plaintive Cuckoo I heard one call on 2nd March at the Mai Po car park.

I would be grateful if any HKBWS member could help WWF by providing dates of Cuckoo calls that they know about from previous spring periods. Please post replies below.

Many thanks,

Bena Smith
WWF Reserve Officer

世界自然基金會香港分會現正收集關於「氣候轉變對香港自然環境影響」的數據。初步查閱科學文獻只得出極少有用並可信的數據。

其中一項有用指標是每年春季常見鳥類開始鳴叫的日期變化，如：在過去20年，鳥類開始鳴叫的日期正逐漸提早。在香港各種常見鳴鳥中，杜鵑科雀鳥的叫聲最為容易辨認和最常被報告。

從今年新聞組貼文所見，最早聽到的噪鵑鳴叫日期是2月3日，於青衣。雖新聞組上沒有關於八聲杜鵑的貼文，本人於3月2日曾在米埔停車場聽到過。

希望各觀鳥會會員可協助提供過往各年春天杜鵑科雀鳥開始鳴叫的日期，本人不勝感激。請把相關回覆張貼在下。

謝謝！

Bena Smith
世界自然基金會保護區主任

WWF Mai Po

Cuckoo Call Dates

Thanks cowen, lida and lalan for your replies and suggestions. After trawling through the new and old BBS I have come up with the earliest calls being as follows:

2007
Common Koel - 3rd Feb @ Tsing Yi
Plaintive Cuckoo - 26th Feb @ Tai Po Kau
Large Hawk Cuckoo - 11th March @ Mai Po
Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo - [None reported yet?]

2006
Common Koel - 27 Jan @ Fanling
Plaintive Cuckoo - ??
Large Hawk Cuckoo - 4th Mar @ Long Valley
Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo - 7th Feb @ Lion Rock Country Park

2005
Common Koel - ??
Plaintive Cuckoo - 3rd Apr @ Tsim Bei Tsui
Large Hawk Cuckoo - ??
Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo - 7th Apr @ Ng Tung Chai

2004
Common Koel - ??
Plaintive Cuckoo - ??
Large Hawk Cuckoo - ??
Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo - 2nd Apr @ Kap Lung

Can anybody better these dates, provide missing dates for certain species or have any records from 1990-2003?

Many thanks,

Bena Smith
WWF Reserve Officer

WWF Mai Po

Cuckoo Call Dates : Spring 2008

Thank you to those people who provided dates for cuckoo calls last year.

For the coming 2008 spring period it would be great if we could continue this form of monitoring and once again I ask members to kindly report dates of first heard cuckoo calls on the BBS. Please note it is only the date of the first call for each species which is needed; Common Koel, Plaintive Cuckoo, Large Hawk Cuckoo, and Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo.

If any member can provide call dates for any of the years between 1990 to 2003 it would be much appreciated.

Many thanks,

Bena Smith
WWF Reserve Officer

WWF Mai Po

Thank you for continuing to post cuckoo call dates and Karen for the extensive list from Tai Po Kau Headland. Birdline reported the first Indian Cuckoo of 2008 from Cheung Chau on the weekend (06 April?).

Please listen out for Large Hawk-Cuckoo, Oriental Cuckoo, and Chestnut-winged Cuckoo calls over the coming weeks.

Bena Smith
WWF Reserve Officer

WWF Mai Po

Cuckoo Call Dates : 2009

Thanks kkitty for starting this off in 2009.

I heard a Koel calling on 31 Jan 2009 in Kowloon Park.

Bena Smith

WWF Mai Po

Many thanks. Hodgson's Hawk, Chestnut-winged, and Indian Cuckoo still needed for 2009. Please report if you hear any of them.

WWF Mai Po

Please note this subject is continued at a different location on the BBS   < Click here to redirect >