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HKBWS Office
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Press release: HKBWS increase Bird List to 465
« on: Apr 19th, 2004, 10:49am » |
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Attention: News Editors
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hong Kong Bird Watching Society increases Bird List to 465
Records Committee adds 10 new species
Friday 16th April, 2004. Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society [1][2] (HKBWS) today announced the addition of ten new species of wild birds to the avifauna of Hong Kong, bringing the total to 465 species. The decision was announced by Geoff Carey and Cheung Ho Fai of the HKBWS Records Committee.
The ten new species have been added to Category A [3] of the Hong Kong List, which represents species that have been recorded in an apparently wild state in Hong Kong:
- Red-throated Loon
- Malayan Night Heron
- Whooper Swan
- Siberian Crane
- Blyth's Pipit
- Mountain Bulbul
- Mountain Tailorbird
- White-spectacled Warbler
- Lesser Whitethroat
- Brown-breasted Flycatcher
(See Appendix A and B for further details of each species)
"Each of these birds has a story to tell – whether its of a lost vagrant far from its normal territory, an expansion of range brought about by improving habitat in Hong Kong, or advances in identification and taxonomy which reveal one species is really a group of several very similar species," said Cheung Ho Fai "And each bird also represents a magical moment – like winning Mark Six - for each of the bird watchers who realised he is looking at or taking a picture of a bird never before seen in Hong Kong."
Bird watchers in Hong Kong have built a good network for sharing news about such exciting discoveries, so that up-to-date bird watching information is readily available by telephone hotline and through the Website BBS [4]. Hong Kong is among the best-monitored places in South-east Asia.
"Adding new species to the SAR list is one of the most exciting aspects of birdwatching in Hong Kong, "said Geoff Carey. "However, before any record is approved it must be rigorously checked to ensure that the bird in question has been correctly identified and that the likelihood that it is not a truly wild bird has been eliminated."
"Some of the most complex and difficult decisions of the Records Committee are related to assessing the status of birds which appear to be wild," noted Cheung Ho Fai. "Owing to the heavy bird trade and the large numbers of birds freed for religious purposes, many supposedly wild birds have been brought to Hong Kong by people, and cannot be considered truly wild in Hong Kong."
The authority on birds since 1957
HKBWS has kept the official record of the birds of Hong Kong since its foundation in 1957, and it remains the sole authority on birds in Hong Kong. This authority stems from the fact that HKBWS has compiled records of birds stretching back to 1860 and has accumulated 47 years of continual systematic records since the Society's establishment.
The HKBWS Records Committee is responsible for compiling, assessing, reviewing and publishing all bird records submitted to the Society. These publications include the annual "Hong Kong Bird Report" and "The Avifauna of Hong Kong", the standard work on the birds of Hong Kong, published by HKBWS in 2001.
This committee is comprised of five of Hong Kong's most dedicated, knowledgeable, and experienced bird watchers, who together have accumulated more than 120 years of combined experience in identifying, recording and studying birds. The peer-review of records ensures that all information on birds published by HKBWS is of a uniformly high standard, which is respected by ornithologists around the world.
Established guidelines for submitting records
Every bird record is submitted by an individual (usually a HKBWS member), who simply fills in a simple spreadsheet which can be downloaded from the HKBWS website.
However, the Records Committee has prepared carefully considered guidelines for submitting records of rarer species (Appendix C).
In the case of species new to Hong Kong a much higher standard of evidence is required before the record can be accepted. In this case a full description, preferably supported by sketches, photos and even sound recordings may be required to confirm both the identity and the genuinely wild status of the bird.
- Ends -
For further information, please contact:
Carrie Ma, Project Officer, Hong Kong Bird Watching Society
Tel: 2377 4387
Email: hkbws@hkbws.org.hk
Website: www.hkbws.org.hk
Full version of press release is available for download from:
http://www.hkbws.org.hk/fileServer/Projectofficer/temp/press/Press%20rel ease_16042004_English.pdf
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| « Last Edit: Apr 20th, 2004, 12:21am by HKBWS Office » |
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HKBWS Office
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Re: Press release: HKBWS increase Bird List to 465
« Reply #1 on: Apr 19th, 2004, 11:30am » |
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Here are some pictures for your reference:
Malayan Night Heron (by Chiang Ming Liang)
Whooper Swan (by Cheung Ho Fai)
Siberian Crane (by Lo Kar Man)
Blyth's Pipit (by Chiang Ming Liang)
Mountail Bulbul (by Cheung Ho Fai)
Mountain Tailorbird (by Peter and Michelle Wong)
White-spectacled Warbler (by Peter and Michelle Wong)
Lesser Whitethroat (by Yu Yat Tung)
Brown-breasted Flycatcher (by Lo Kar Man)
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| « Last Edit: Apr 19th, 2004, 11:31am by HKBWS Office » |
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