On June 1, 2024, Tropical Cyclone Maliksi struck Hong Kong. Despite the severe weather conditions under Signal No. 3, researchers from the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society discovered a bird species which has never been recorded in Hong Kong: the Javan Pond Heron (Ardeola speciosa), in the rice fields at Shui Hau on Lantau Island.
It remained in the paddy field for two days. If accepted by the Records Committee, this would be the first recorded sighting of the species in Hong Kong and the South China region. Javan Pond Heron is a resident bird in Southeast Asia and does not exhibit obvious migratory behavior, although there have been records of vagrant individuals in some East Asian islands such as Taiwan, Ishigaki Island, and Okinawa. The Javan Pond Heron closely resembles the commonly seen Chinese Pond Heron (Ardeola bacchus), and accurate differentiation is possible only when the former is in breeding plumage. The Javan Pond Heron has a golden-yellow head and two elongated pale plumes on the nape, while the Chinese Pond Heron has a brick-red head and nape plumes.
Paddy fields serve as the primary habitat for the Javan Pond Heron, and this discovery demonstrates the collaboration between the Bird Watching Society and the villagers of Shui Hau in their efforts to cultivate and restore the paddy fields, creating an opportunity for Hong Kong to welcome a new bird species. Despite the challenging weather conditions on that day, we are grateful to have shared the experience of observing this rare and beautiful Javan Pond Heron with the villagers, and to witness the success of habitat management efforts.
Figure 1: A village learned about the visit of rare bird and specially brought a camera to take record photo (Photo by Mink Chan)
Figure 2: The Javan Pond Heron forages in a paddy field prepared for transplanting (Photo by WY Yam)
Figure 3: The Javan Pond Heron soars above Shui Hau
Figure 4: The Javan Pond Heron rests in the paddy field and walks back and forth on the farmland bund foraging (Photo by Kani Au)
