Roadkill at Tai Po Market Egretry

The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society (HKBWS) has received reports from residents about suspected vehicle collisions leading to ardeids’ fatalities (commonly referred to as "roadkill") on Kwong Fuk Road which is nearby Tai Po Market Egretry. Online records indicate that at least four similar incidents have occurred at this location in recent years.

The Tai Po Market Egretry is the second-largest breeding colony of egrets and herons in Hong Kong, hosting up to over 300 nests annually. The species include Little Egret, Great Egret, and Black-crowned Night Heron. As March to September is the critical breeding and chick-rearing period, past roadkill incidents have predominantly occurred during these months.

Roadkill poses a threat to the survival and reproductive success of breeding egrets and herons. However, this situation can be improved. We have formally written to the Transport Department and Highways Department, urging consideration of different measures to mitigate roadkill risks. For example, by introducing lower speed limits (i.e. 30 km/h), improving design of Slow Down warning signs, increasing the numbers of warning signs along Kwong Fuk Road and monitoring, hopefully we could create a safer environment for the breeding egrets and herons.

Currently, our understanding on bird roadkill in Hong Kong remains limited. If you encounter such cases, we encourage you to safely document them by taking photos and noting the location and date, then email the details to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..