Hong Kong Bird Watching Society


The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society is an environmental non-governmental organization dedicated to the conservation of birds and their habitats in Hong Kong, a territory on the southern coast of China. It is a BirdLife International affiliated organization. The emblem of the HKBWS is the Chinese egret which visits Hong Kong on migration and used to breed in the territory.

Activities

The HKBWS was formed in 1957. It publishes the annual Hong Kong Bird Report as well as regular bulletins. As of 2013 it has over 1800 members, employs four full-time staff, holds regular meetings, conducts surveys and organises birdwatching tours. It is involved in the conservation management of the Long Valley agricultural wetland where it monitors the birds. Its research programs include monitoring waterfowl at the Mai Po Marshes and Deep Bay, reviewing Hong Kong bird records and maintaining a checklist, studying the wintering ecology of black-faced spoonbills and conducting breeding bird surveys at the Tai Po Kau Forest Reserve.
The society is a pioneer of Citizen Science projects in Hong Kong, with their bird survey data going back to 1958, and they are now utilizing apps and carry out a number of Citizen Science events such as their yearly sparrow census