Perching Birds - Passeriformes
Cuckooshrikes - Campephagidae
Grey-Chinned Minivet - Pericrocotus solaris Scarlet Minivet - Pericrocotus speciosus Leafbirds - Chloropseidae Orange-Bellied Leafbird - Chloropsis hardwickii Cisticolas & Allies - Cisticolidae Golden-Headed Cisticola - Cisticola exilis Common Tailorbird - Orthotomus sutorius Yellow-Bellied Prinia - Prinia flaviventris Plain Prinia - Prinia inornata Crows, Jays & Magpies - Corvidae Large-Billed Crow - Corvus macrorhynchus Collared Crow - Corvus pectoralis Azure-Winged Magpie - Cyanopica cyanus Grey Treepie - Dendrocitta formosae Oriental Magpie - Pica serica Blue Magpie - Urocissa erythrorhyncha Flowerpeckers - Dicaeidae Scarlet-Backed Flowerpecker - Dicaeum cruentatum Fire-Breasted Flowerpecker - Dicaeum ignipectis Drongos - Dicruridae Ashy Drongo - Dicrurus leucophaeus Black Drongo - Dicrurus macrocercus Hair-Crested Drongo - Dicrurus hottentottus Old World Buntings - Emberizidae Chestnut Bunting - Emberiza rutila Black-Faced Bunting - Emberiza spodocephala Tristram's Bunting - Emberiza tristrami Waxbills & Allies - Estrilidae Scaly-Breasted Munia - Lonchura punctulata White-Rumped Munia - Lonchura striata Finches, Euphonias & Allies - Fringillidae Common Rosefinch - Carpodacus erythrinus Swallows & Martins - Hirundinidae Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica Shrikes - Laniidae Brown Shrike - Lanius cristatus Long-Tailed Shrike - Lanius schach |
Laughingthrushes & Allies - Leiothrichidae
Blue-Winged Minla - Actinodura cyanouroptera Hwamei - Garrulax canorus Silver-Eared Mesia - Leiothrix argentauris Red-Billed Leiothrix - Leiothrix lutea Black-Throated Laughingthrush - Pterorhinus chinensis Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush - Pterorhinus pectoralis Masked Laughingthrush - Pterorhinus perspicillatus Wagtails & Pipits - Motacillidae Olive-Backed Pipit - Anthus hodgsoni Richard's Pipit - Anthus richardi Amur Wagtail - Motacilla alba leucopsis East Siberian Wagtail - Motacilla alba ocularis Grey Wagtail - Motacilla cinerea Eastern Yellow Wagtail - Motacilla tschutschensis Old World Flycatchers & Chats - Muscicapidae Siberian Rubythroat - Calliope calliope White-Rumped Shama - Copsychus malabaricus Oriental Magpie Robin - Copsychus saularis Hainan Blue Flycatcher - Cyornis hainanus Slaty-Backed Forktail - Enicurus schistaceus Verditer Flycatcher - Eumyias thalassinus Taiga Flycatcher - Ficedula albicilla Rufous-Tailed Robin - Larvivora sibilans White-Throated Rock Thrush - Monticola gularis Blue Rock Thrush - Monticola solitarius Flycatcher - Muscicapa sp. Brown-Breasted Flycatcher - Muscicapa muttui Blue Whistling Thrush - Myophonus caerulus Daurian Redstart - Phoenicurus auroreus Siberian Stonechat - Saxicola maurus Red-Flanked Bluetail - Tarsiger cyanurus Sunbirds & Spiderhunters - Nectariniidae Fork-Tailed Sunbird - Aethopyga christinae Mrs Gould's Sunbird - Aethopyga gouldiae Tits, Chickadees & Titmice - Paridae Yellow-Cheeked Tit - Machlolophus spilonotus Japanese Tit - Parus minor |
Old World Sparrows - Passeridae
Eurasian Tree Sparrow - Passer montanus Leaf Warblers - Phylloscopidae Leaf Warblers - Phylloscopus sp. Yellow-Browed Leaf Warbler - Phylloscopus inornatus Pallas's Leaf Warbler - Phylloscopus proregulus Bulbuls - Pycnonotidae Chestnut Bulbul - Hemixos castanotus Mountain Bulbul - Ixos mcclellandii Sooty-Headed Bulbul - Pycnonotus aurigaster Red-Whiskered Bulbul - Pycnonotus jocosus Chinese Bulbul - Pycnonotus sinensis Bush Warblers & Allies - Scotocercidae Asian Stubtail - Urosphena squameiceps Nuthatches - Sittidae Velvet-Fronted Nuthatch - Sitta frontalis Starlings - Sturnidae Crested Myna - Acridotheres cristatellus Common Myna - Acridotheres tristis Black-Collared Starling - Gracupica nigricollis Red-Billed Starling - Spodiopsar sericeus White-Shouldered Starling - Sturnia sinensis Tree Babblers, Scimitar Babblers & Allies - Timiliidae Streak-Breasted Scimitar-Babbler - Pomatorhinus ruficollis Rufous-Capped Babbler - Stachyris ruficeps Thrushes - Turdidae Japanese Thrush - Turdus cardis Grey-Backed Thrush - Turdus hortulorum Chinese Blackbird - Turdus mandarinus Eyebrowed Thrush - Turdus obscurus Pale Thrush - Turdus pallidus White's Thrush - Zoothera aurea White-Eyes, Yuhinas & Allies - Zosteropidae Striated Yuhina - Yuhina torqueola Swinhoe's White-Eye - Zosterops simplex |
Cuckooshrikes - Campephagidae
Grey-Chinned Minivet 灰喉山椒鳥 Pericrocotus solaris
Scarlet Minivet 赤紅山椒鳥 Pericrocotus speciosus
Males are scarlet and females are golden. Common.
Leafbirds - Chloropseidae
Orange-Bellied Leafbird 橙腹葉鵯 Chloropsis hardwickii
The male has burnt orange underparts, whereas the female is green. Rare.
Cisticolas & Allies - Cisticolidae
Golden-Headed Cisticola 黃頭扇尾鶯 Cisticola exilis
It's call is a type of 'bleating' like a sheep. Uncommon winter visitor.
Common Tailorbird 長尾縫葉鶯 Orthotomus sutorius
A common bird in the Asian tropics. It makes its nest by sewing leaves together. Very common.
Yellow-Bellied Prinia 黃腹鷦鶯 Prinia flaviventris
Widespread and abundant resident. Noisy and pugnacious. Does a fly-past with a rapid wing clapping to try to scare humans away. Very common.
Plain Prinia 純色鷦鶯 Prinia inornata
Occurs in wetlands and on grassy hillsides. A distinguishing feature is its long tail. Common.
Crows, Jays & Magpies - Corvidae
Large-Billed Crow (Jungle Crow) 大嘴烏鴉 Corvus macrorhynchus
This is the most common type of black crow in southern China. It has a large bill and makes a variety of vocalisations. Very common.
Collared Crow 白頸鴉 Corvus pectoralis
This uncommon crow has a distinctive white neck and breast band. The range of this crow is the heartland of China south of Beijing. It is considered to be near-threatened. Uncommon.
Azure-Winged Magpie 灰喜鵲 Cyanopica cyanus
Grey Treepie 樹鵲 Dendrocitta formosae
Noisy with a weird variety of laughing calls. Occasional winter visitor. Much more common in Taiwan. Rare.
Oriental Magpie 喜鵲 Pica serica
This magpie, until recently thought to be the same species as the European magpie pica pica, ranges from Hong Kong to Siberia and is tied to Korean identity, used as a city bird by many Korean cities. In Chinese culture it is a bird of happiness. Very common.
Blue Magpie 紅嘴藍鵲 Urocissa erythroryncha
The blue magpie has a long barred tail and blue wings. It is a common bird of southern and central China. Very common.
Flowerpeckers - Dicaeidae
Scarlet-Backed Flowerpecker 朱背啄花鳥 Dicaeum cruentatum
Fire-Breasted Flowerpecker 紅胸啄花鳥 Dicaeum ignipectus
Drongos - Dicruridae
Hair-Crested Drongo 髮冠卷尾 Dicrurus hottentottus
Ashy Drongo 灰卷尾 Dicrurus leucophaeus
A pugnacious bird. Rare winter visitor.
Black Drongo 大卷尾 Dicrurus macrocercus
Old World Buntings - Emberizidae
Chestnut Bunting 鏽鵐 Emberiza rutila
Black-Faced Bunting 黑臉鵐 Emberiza spodocephala
Tristram's Bunting 白眉鵐 Emberiza tristrami
Waxbills & Allies - Estrilidae
Scaly-Breasted Munia 斑文鳥 Lonchura punctulata
Adults have a scaly breast pattern. Juveniles are a uniform buff colour. Common and widespread across Hong Kong and southern China. Common.
White-Rumped Munia 白腰文鳥 Lonchura striata
A common bird throughout South China, South-East Asia and Southern India. A small brown bird with white underparts. Very common.
Finches, Euphonias & Allies - Fringillidae
Common Rosefinch 普通朱雀 Carpodacus erythrinus
Swallows & Martins - Hirundinidae
Barn Swallow 家燕 Hirundo rustica
Often builds nests in urban areas, but is also seen flying and feeding around the peaks of Hong Kong's hills and mountains. Very common.
Shrikes - Laniidae
Brown Shrike 紅尾伯勞 Lanius cristatus
Long-tailed Shrike 棕背伯勞 Lanius schach
A widespread bird in Hong Kong, resident year round. It is a ruthless hunter that preys on small animals or even small birds. Very common.
Laughingthrushes & Allies - Leiothrichidae
Blue-Winged Minla 藍翅希鶥 Actinodura cyanouroptera
Another bird of SW China (also India and SE Asia), the Hong Kong ones are of captive origin.
Melodious Laughingthrush (Hwamei) 畫眉 Garrulax canorus
This laughingthrush is commonly referred to as a 'hwamei' from the Chinese for 'painted eyebrow'. It searches for food in the leaf litter of the forest floor.
Silver-Eared Mesia 銀耳相思鳥 Leiothrix argentauris
Tends to stay in dense undergrowth but can be spotted during to colours. The population in Hong Kong is of captive origin. Resident in SW China - Yunnan and Guangxi as well as SE Asia.
Red-Billed Leiothrix 紅嘴相思鳥 Leiothrix lutea
Black-Throated Laughingthrush 黑喉噪鶥 Pterorhinus chinensis
Widely distributed in woodland and scrubland in Hong Kong. Fairly common in South China and South-East Asia. Common resident population in HK of captive origin.
Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush 黑領噪鶥 Pterorhinus pectoralis
Masked Laughingthrush 黑臉噪鶥 Pterorhinus perspicillatus
A common bird in Hong Kong, often seen in parks in small flocks. It's quite noisy making various different laughing calls. Its range is southern China. Very common.
Wagtails & Pipits - Motacillidae
Olive-Backed Pipit 樹鷚 Anthus hodgsoni
A common winter visitor to Hong Kong. Often seen in small groups at the edge of woodland. Common winter visitor.
Richard's Pipit 大花鷚 Anthus richardi
East Siberian Wagtail 白鶺鴒 Motacilla alba ocularis
Amur Wagtail 白鶺鴒 Motacilla alba leucopsis
Grey Wagtail 灰鶺鴒 Motacilla cinerea
Grey on top, yellow underneath. Often in catchwaters. Very common.
Eastern Yellow Wagtail 東方黃鶺鴒 Motacilla tschutschensis
The olive green upper parts separate it from the grey wagtail. Also less widespread than the white and grey wagtails; in Hong Kong it seems to be present only in the north-western lowlands around the Deep Bay Area. It's a common winter visitor. Common.
Old World Flycatchers & Chats - Muscicapidae
Siberian Rubythroat 野鴝 Calliope calliope
The male has a bright red throat patch. Common.
White-Rumped Shama 白腰鵲鴝 Copsychus malabaricus
These are probably an introduced species in Hong Kong. Present in Ma On Shan CP, Lion Rock CP and Kam Shan CP. Uncommon.
Oriental Magpie Robin 鵲鴝 Copsychus saularis
The males have plumage resembling that of a magpie, but the shape and size of the bird are that of a robin. The females are the same size but with grey and white plumage. This is the national bird of Bangladesh. Very common.
Hainan Blue Flycatcher 海南藍仙鶲 Cyornis hainanus
Slaty-Backed Forktail 灰背燕尾 Enicurus schistaceus
Verditer Flycatcher 銅藍鶲 Eumyias thalassinus
Taiga Flycatcher 紅喉鶲 Ficedula albicilla
Rufous-Tailed Robin 紅尾歌鴝 Larvivora sibilans
White-Throated Rock Thrush 白喉磯鶇 Monticola gularis
Blue Rock Thrush 藍磯鶇 Monticola solitarius
Flycatcher 鶲屬 Muscicapa sp.
Brown-Breasted Flycatcher 褐胸鶲 Muscicapa muttui
Blue Whistling Thrush 紫嘯鶇 Myophonus caeruleus
Characterised by its deep blue, iridescent plumage and the way it fans its tail on perching. Very common.
Daurian Redstart 北紅尾鴝 Phoenicurus auroreus
The male is black and red whereas the female is brown. Both have white patches on the middle of the wing. A common winter visitor. Common.
Siberian Stonechat 黑喉鴝 Saxicola maurus
A winter visitor to Hong Kong, the male has a black head and pink breast, juveniles and females have streaked brown upper parts. Also known as an Asian stonechat. It is insectivorous, breeding in Siberia and northern China and wintering in Southern China, India and SE Asia. Common.
Red-Flanked Bluetail 藍尾鴝 Tarsiger cyanurus
Adult males are blue above, whereas females and juveniles are brown above. A common winter visitor.
Sunbirds & Spiderhunters - Nectariniidae
Fork-Tailed Sunbird 叉尾太陽鳥 Aethopyga christinae
This bird forages on nectar. The male has bright red and blue spots on its neck and throat. Common.
Mrs Gould's Sunbird 藍喉太陽鳥 Aethopyga gouldiae
Native range from Himalayas to South China. The Hong Kong birds are probably released cage birds. Rare.
Tits, Chickadees & Titmice - Paridae
Yellow-Cheeked Tit 黃頰山雀 Machlolophus spilonotus
Favours open woodland. Common in southern China including Guangdong, but the small Hong Kong population is of captive origin. Rare.
Japanese Tit 蒼背山雀 Parus minor
Previously considered a subspecies of the great tit, this bird is present throughout Southern Asia. They feed on insects, buds and fruits. Very common.
Old World Sparrows - Passeridae
Eurasian Tree Sparrow 樹麻雀 Passer montanus
The most common sparrow species in Hong Kong, characterised by a rich chestnut-coloured head. Mostly seen near human habitation. Worldwide Passer domesticus, the house sparrow is the more common variety of sparrow, but here in Hong Kong and in East Asia in general the house sparrow is rarely seen. Very common.
Leaf Warblers - Phylloscopidae
Leaf Warbler 淡眉柳鶯 Phylloscopus sp.
Yellow-Browed Leaf Warbler 黃眉柳鶯 Phylloscopus inornatus
Pallas's Leaf Warbler 黃腰柳鶯 Phylloscopus proregulus
Bulbuls - Pycnonotidae
Chestnut Bulbul 栗背短腳鵯 Hemixos castanonotus
It's a slightly larger bulbul than the more common red-whiskered and Chinese varieties. A common species of the forests of southern China.
Mountain Bulbul 綠翅短腳鵯 Ixos mcclellandii
Usually occurring above 1000m in South China, this bird occurs on the north side of Tai Mo Shan in Hong Kong. Rare.
Sooty-headed Bulbul 白喉紅臀鵯 Pycnonotus aurigaster
The feathers on the head can be elevated to form a low crest. The voice of the sooty-headed bulbul is flutier than the other bulbuls. Very common.
Red-whiskered Bulbul 紅耳鵯 Pycnonotus jocosus
A very common bird in Hong Kong. For a long time it was featured on the 3 dollar stamp. The juvenile birds lack the red cheek patch. Red-whiskered bulbuls feed on fruit and insects. The range of the red-whiskered bulbul extends from southern Yunnan to Guangdong province and Hong Kong. Also known as a 'crested bulbul'. Very common.
Chinese Bulbul 白頭翁 Pycnonotus sinensis
The Chinese bulbul is a common Hong Kong bird, easily seen in the city parks and the country parks. It mainly feeds on fruits but may also eat insects. Small and olive in colour its range extends over central and southern China. Also known as a 'light-vented bulbul'. Very common.
Bush Warblers & Allies - Scotocercidae
Asian Stubtail 短尾鶯 Urosphena squameiceps
Nuthatches - Sittidae
Velvet-Fronted Nuthatch 絨額鳾 Sitta frontalis
Starlings - Sturnidae
Crested Myna 八哥 Acridotheres cristatellus
Often in flocks. Easily identified by the crest and wide white bars on the underside of the wings which are visible in flight. Very common
Common Myna 家八哥 Acridotheres tristis
Black-Collared Starling 黑領椋鳥 Gracupica nigricollus
Often found in Hong Kong parks, about 28cm long with a white head and yellow skin around the eyes. Very common.
Red-Billed Starling 絲光椋鳥 Spodiopsar sericeus
White-Shouldered Starling 灰背椋鳥 Sturnia sinensis
Tree Babblers, Scimitar Babblers & Allies - Timiliidae
Streak-Breasted Scimitar-Babbler 棕頸鉤嘴眉 Pomatorhinus ruficollis
Rufous-Capped Babbler 紅頭穗鶥 Stachyris ruficeps
Thrushes - Turdidae
Japanese Thrush 烏灰鶇 Turdus cardis
Grey-Backed Thrush 灰背鶇 Turdus hortulorum
Chinese Blackbird 烏鶇 Turdus mandarinus
Eyebrowed Thrush 白眉鶇 Turdus obscurus
Pale Thrush 白腹鶇 Turdus pallidus
White's Thrush 白氏地鶇 Zoothera aurea
White-Eyes, Yuhinas & Allies - Zosteropidae
Striated Yuhina 栗耳鳳鶥 Yuhina torqueola
Also known as a chestnut-collared yuhina or an Indochinese yuhina. Rare.
Swinhoe's White-Eye 暗綠繡眼鳥 Zosterops simplex
A small greenish bird with a distinctive white eye ring. A widespread resident in Hong Kong, although I've found it tricky to photograph. Very common with greater numbers in winter.