Birds - Aves
Hawks, Eagles & Kites - Accipitriformes
Crested Goshawk - Accipiter trivirgatus Common Buzzard - Buteo buteo White-Bellied Sea Eagle - Haliaeetus leucogaster Black Kite - Milvus migrans Waterfowl - Anseriformes Northern Pintail - Anas acuta Teal - Anas crecca Tufted Duck - Aythya fuligula Eurasian Wigeon - Mareca penelope Northern Shoveller - Spatula clypeata Shorebirds - Charadriiformes Common Sandpiper - Actitis hypoleucos Red-Necked Stint - Calidris ruficollis Kentish Plover - Charadarius alexandrinus Little Ringed Plover - Charadarius dubius Greater Sand Plover - Charadarius leschenaultii Black-Headed Gull - Chroicocephalus ridibundus Common Snipe - Gallinago gallinago Black-Winged Stilt - Himantopus himantopus Black-Tailed Gull - Larus crassirostris Black-Tailed Godwit - Limosa limosa Eurasian Whimbrel - Numenius phaeopus Black-Bellied Plover - Pluvialis squatarola Red-Necked Phalarope - Phalaropus lobatus Pied Avocet - Recurvirostra avosetta Grey-Tailed Tattler - Tringa brevipes Spotted Redshank - Tringa erythropus Wood Sandpiper - Tringa glareola Common Greenshank - Tringa nebularia Green Sandpiper - Tringa ochropus Marsh Sandpiper - Tringa stagnatilis Common Redshank - Tringa totanus Grey-Headed Lapwing - Vanellus cinereus Terek Sandpiper - Xenus cinereus |
Pigeons & Doves - Colombiformes
Emerald Dove - Chalcophaps indica Feral Pigeon - Columba livia Spotted Dove - Streptopelia chinensis Eurasian Collared Dove - Streptopelia decaocto Oriental Turtle Dove - Streptopelia orientalis Kingfishers - Coraciiformes Common Kingfisher - Alcedo atthis Pied Kingfisher - Ceryle rudis White-Throated Kingfisher - Halcyon smyrnensis Cuckoos - Cuculiformes Greater Coucal - Centropus sinensis Common Koel - Eudynamis scolopacea Falcons - Falconiformes Common Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus Cranes & Rails - Gruiformes White-Breasted Waterhen - Amaurornis phoenicurus Common Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus |
Pelicans, Herons & Ibises - Pelicaniformes
Great Egret - Ardea alba Grey Heron - Ardea cinerea Intermediate Egret - Ardea intermedia Chinese Pond Heron - Ardeola bacchus Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis Striated Heron - Butorides striata Little Egret - Egretta garzetta Pacific Reef Heron - Egretta sacra Black-Crowned Night Heron - Nycticorax nycticorax Black-Faced Spoonbill - Platalea minor Woodpeckers & Barbets - Piciformes Great Barbet - Psilopogon virens Grebes - Podicipediformes Little Grebe - Tachybaptus ruficollis Parrots - Psittaciformes Yellow-Crested Cockatoo - Cacatua sulphurea Alexandrine Parakeet - Psittacula eupatria Ring-Necked Parakeet - Psittacula krameri Gannets & Cormorants - Suliformes Great Cormorant - Phalacrocorax garbo |
Hawks, Eagles & Kites - Accipitriformes
Crested Goshawk 鳳頭鷹 Accipiter trivirgatus
Common Buzzard 普通鵟 Buteo buteo
White-Bellied Sea Eagle 白腹海鵰 Haliaeetus leucogaster
Uncommon in HK but resident along South China coast.
Black Kite 黑鳶 Milvus migrans
The black kite is the most common bird of prey in Hong Kong, often seen riding the thermals by the skyscrapers of Central as well as out in the New Territories. It scavenges over water for refuse and dead fish. The plumage is dark brown, not black. They build stick nests in trees. Very common.
Crested Serpent Eagle 大冠鷲 Spilornis cheela
Waterfowl - Anseriformes
Northern Pintail 針尾鴨 Anas acuta
This duck is a winter visitor to Hong Kong. Abundant winter visitor.
Teal 綠翅鴨 Anas crecca
Tufted Duck 鳳頭潛鴨 Aythya fuligula
Winter visitor to the Deep Bay Area of Hong Kong's north-west. Uncommon.
Eurasian Wigeon 赤頸鴨 Mareca penelope
Northern Shoveler 琵嘴鴨 Spatula clypeata
A winter visitor to Southern Asia. Common winter visitor.
Shorebirds - Charadriiformes
Common Sandpiper 磯鷸 Actitis hypoleucos
A winter visitor to Hong Kong. It's a small sandpiper that likes to fly close to the water. Common winter visitor.
Red-Necked Stint 穉鷸 Calidris ruficollis
Breeds in Siberia and winters in New Zealand. Passes through Hong Kong in largest numbers in April.
Kentish Plover 環頸鴴 Charadarius alexandrinus
This pair of plovers were running in and out of the tide at Tai Wan beach in Sai Kung in January 2019. The Kentish plover ranges from Europe and Africa across to East Asia, living on sandy shores. Abundant winter visitor.
Little Ringed Plover 小環頸鴴 Charadrius dubius
Greater Sand Plover 鐵嘴沙鴴 Charadarius leschenaultii
A large long-legged plover. Passage migrant in autumn and spring. Peak numbers in April. This one was seen in South Lantau.
Black-Headed Gull 紅嘴鷗 Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Common Snipe 田鷸 Gallinago gallinago
Black-winged Stilt 黑翅長腳鷸 Himantopus himantopus
A widespread bird in Eurasia and Africa. A common passage migrant in Hong Kong.
Black-Tailed Gull 黑尾鷗 Larus crassirostris
Black-Tailed Godwit 黑尾塍鷸 Limosa limosa
Eurasian Whimbrel 中杓鷸 Numenius phaeopus
Red-Necked Phalarope 紅領瓣足鷸 Phalaropus lobatus
Black-Bellied Plover 灰斑鴴 Pluvialis squatarola
Pied Avocet 反嘴鷸 Recurvirostra avosetta
Avocets are winter visitors to Hong Kong. They breed in northern China, in Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia, and winter on the southern coasts from Shanghai south to Guangdong. Rare in HK.
Grey-Tailed Tattler 灰尾漂鷸 Tringa brevipes
Spotted Redshank 鶴鷸 Tringa erythropus
Wood Sandpiper 林鷸 Tringa glareola
Common Greenshank 青足鷸 Tringa nebularia
Winter visitor and passage migrant in Hong Kong, can be seen from August to May. Common.
Green Sandpiper 白腰草鷸 Tringa ochropus
A winter visitor (from August to April), can be found along watercourses and inland bodies of water, but very rarely the seashore. Common.
Marsh Sandpiper 澤鷸 Tringa stagnatilis
Common Redshank 紅腳鷸 Tringa totanus
Grey-Headed Lapwing 跳鴴 Vanellus cinereus
Terek Sandpiper 反嘴鷸 Xenus cinereus
A short-legged, long-billed wader. An uncommon passage migrant in spring and autumn.
Pigeons & Doves - Colombiformes
Emerald Dove 綠翅金鳩 Chalcophaps indica
A widespread but scarce forest dove, often seen walking on the forest floor as a lone bird.
Feral Pigeon (Rock Dove) 原鴿 Columba livia
City pigeons are everywhere in most cities. Hong Kong is no exception. Very common.
Spotted Dove 珠頸斑鳩 Streptopelia chinensis
A common bird of Hong Kong's parks, the spotted dove has a white-spotted black path around its neck. It walks around on the ground a lot, but will fly away when disturbed. Very common.
Eurasian Collared Dove 灰斑鳩 Streptopelia decaocto
Oriental Turtle Dove 金背鳩 Streptopelia orientalis
Kingfishers - Coraciiformes
Common Kingfisher 普通翠鳥 Alcedo atthis
Kingfishers are quite common across Hong Kong, by rivers and even near the sea in estuary areas. This is a bird that occurs all over Europe and Asia. Very common.
Pied Kingfisher 斑翡翠 Ceryle rudis
White-Throated Kingfisher 白胸翡翠 Halcyon smyrnensis
A common resident kingfisher. Common.
Cuckoos - Cuculiformes
Greater Coucal 褐翅鴉鵑 Centropus sinensis
It's quite common to see coucals in the countryside of Hong Kong, but difficult to photograph them. They seem to dislike flying but hide themselves quickly in the nearest undergrowth upon perceiving a nearby human. It's call is a deep 'glug, glug, glug' like water emptying from a bottle. Very common.
Common Koel 噪鵑 Eudynamis scolopacea
More often heard than seen the koel is the cuckoo of Hong Kong in that it lays its eggs in other birds' nests. It's call isn't quite as melodious as the cuckoo's but is unescapable in the spring months. The male is black and the female is dappled. Very common.
Falcons - Falconiformes
Common Kestrel 紅隼 Falco tinnunculus
Common kestrels migrate through Hong Kong in the autumn and a small number are winter visitors. Also known as the Eurasian kestrel. Common.
Cranes & Rails - Gruiformes
White-Breasted Waterhen 白腹秧雞 Amaurornis phoenicurus
Occurs in any damp habitat from mangroves to cultivation ditches. Slightly bolder than other similar waterbirds. Very common.
Eurasian Coot 白骨頂 Fulica atra
Common Moorhen 黑水雞 Gallinula chloropus
Pelicans, Herons & Ibises - Pelicaniformes
Great Egret 大白鷺 Ardea alba
A large bird, less commonly seen than the little egret. It seems to appear mostly around the Deep Bay area of north-west Hong Kong and along the rivers of Tai Po and Sha Tin. Common.
Grey Heron 蒼鷺 Ardea cinerea
A common bird in the winter months in the New Territories along rivers and by the coast. Unusual to see one in the summer. Common winter visitor.
Intermediate Egret 中白鷺 Ardea intermedia
Chinese Pond Heron 池鷺 Ardeola bacchus
The breeding plumage of this bird is a blend of deep wine-red, slate-blue and white. The non-breeding plumage is quite dull in comparison. It occurs around wetland areas of Hong Kong. This bird occurs in central and southern China. Very common.
Cattle Egret 牛背鷺 Bubulcus ibis
Often seen with cattle, hence the name. Mostly found in drier areas than other egrets. Around 70 pairs breed annually in Hong Kong. During the breeding season they develop an auburn head and throat colour. Common.
Striated Heron (Mangrove Heron) 綠鷺 Butorides striata
Little Egret 小白鷺 Egretta garzetta
A very common egret in Hong Kong, often seen along waterways and even bobbing on the shark net buoys of beaches. Very common.
Pacific Reef Heron 岩鷺 Egretta sacra
This bird is normally a slaty colour but a white morph exists, which is then confusingly similar to a little egret. Common.
Black-Crowned Night Heron 夜鷺 Nycticorax nycticorax
The black-crowned night heron is a common sight in Hong Kong's parks, wherever there is a lake or a waterway, and also in wetland areas. The juvenile birds are brown in colouring. Numbers have increased dramatically since the 1970s. It is more active at night to avoid competition from other herons. Common.
Black-Faced Spoonbill 黑面琵鷺 Platalea minor
An emblematic Hong Kong bird, depicted on the front cover of 'The Birds of Hong Kong and South China' and also the emblem of the Wetlands Park in Tin Shui Wai. The black-faced spoonbill is the rarest of the five species of spoonbill worldwide. It breeds in the summer on the coast of Korea and north-west China, spending the winter mainly in Hong Kong and Macau, but also in other locations in South China and Japan. Rare.
Woodpeckers & Barbets - Piciformes
Great Barbet 大擬啄木鳥 Psilopogon virens
Grebes - Podicipediformes
Little Grebe 小鸊鷉 Tachybaptus ruficollis
Parrots - Psittaciformes
Yellow-Crested Cockatoo 小葵花鳳頭鸚鵡 Cacatua sulphurea
The yellow-crested cockatoo (also known as the lesser sulphur-crested cockatoo) is originally from the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. An escaped population lives and breeds in and around Hong Kong Park and Victoria Park on Hong Kong Island. In its native habitat only around 7000 birds remain, making this a critically endangered species. Critically endangered globally.
Alexandrine Parakeet 阿歷山大鸚鵡 Psittacula eupatria
Named after Alexander the Great, the native range of this parakeet is India and South-East Asia. A released population lives and breeds in Kowloon Park.
Ring-Necked Parakeet 紅領綠鸚鵡 Psittacula krameri
A stable population from birds released over 100 years ago it sticks to the city parks. Adult males have a pink neck ring. Common.
Gannets & Cormorants - Suliformes
Great Cormorant 普通鸕鶿 Phalacrocorax carbo
A common bird around the gei wai of the northwest New Territories, these are the same birds as those trained in southern China (especially Guilin) to catch fish. They swim low in the water with the bill tilted upwards. It's a common winter visitor to Hong Kong and its range is worldwide except South America. Common.