Birdlife International IBA DATA FORM 1 /16
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BirdLife International IBA DATA FORM 1 /16 1 Compiler: Hong Kong Bird Watching Society 2 Date: August 2003 4 Temporary IBA Code: 5 Final IBA Code: GENERAL DATA 6 National Site Name: Tai Po Kau, Shing Mun & Tai Mo Shan area 7 International Site Name: Tai Po Kau, Shing Mun & Tai Mo Shan area 8 Country: People’s Republic of China 9 Administrative Region (Level 1) 10 Administrative Region (Level 2) Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Tai Po & Tsuen Wan Districts 11 Area (ha): 12 Area Accuracy (A, B, C or D) 13 Central Coordinates (Lat/Lon): 3315 A 22 24 N / 114 8 E 14. Altitude (m): Min: Max: 15 Map (Y, N): 16 Management Plan (Y, N) : 17 Ownership (P, S, C, R, I, X, O, U): 200 957 Y Y S 18 General Description: Hong Kong locates in the transition zone between the Oriental and Palaearctic region. Hong Kong is part of the South China Mountains which extend from East Yunnan, through Guizhou, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hunan, Jiangxi, to Fujian and Zhejiang in China. The South China Mountains is an important bird region in its own because of its rich and specialized avifauna. The western part of the South China Mountains extends naturally onto the Southeast Chinese Mountains region that includes the hills and mountains of most of the south-east Asia. There, the vegetation is mostly subtropical hill evergreen forest. both areas have attracted substantial research and conservation interests because of its rich biodiversity. They are also relatively unknown because the general shortage of comprehensive and long-term monitoring. The South and Southeast Chinese Mountains also extends to the Sino- Himalayan region. The proposed IBA shares similar characteristics in terms of the bird species in this biome range. The forests in Hong Kong are also important sites for studying migrating bird species such as Passerines and Raptor. The proposed IBA locates in central New Territories of Hong Kong. It comprises a variety of habitats, including hill evergreen forest, secondary scrubland, wooded grassland, secondary grassland, etc. The names of the protected areas in the proposed IBA include (1) Tai Mo Shan Country Park, (2) Shing Mun Country Park, (A) Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve, (B) Ng Tung Chai Special Area, (C) Tai Mo Shan Montane Scrub Forest Special Area, (D) Shing Mun Fung Shui Woodland Special Area, (I) Ng Tung Chai Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), (II) Tai Mo Shan SSSI and (III) Tai Mo Shan Montane Scrub Forest SSSI. This area covers 3315 ha which comprises approximately 41.3% hill evergreen forest and 22.7% secondary scrubland and 32.5% secondary grassland and wooded grassland. The area is managed by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government for nature conservation, public education, scientific research and recreation purposes. Most of the forest areas in Hong Kong have regenerated after the Second World War in 1945. Part of the proposed IBA that is within the Country Park is managed by AFCD and so has high level of protection against development. The forest within this area has gradually matured and attracted forest bird species of this biome range. This includes cuckoo-shrikes, sunbirds, babblers, etc. New and re-colonization by forest species are apparent since long-term monitoring begins about 50 years ago. Before of the heavy bird trade in the region, colonization by released population of captive origin are also present. Most of them represent a re-introduction of the bird species that was probably present in the past. Hong Kong has a long history of collecting field record on bird species. The data submitted in this proposal are accurate and scientific. As a representative site of the South China Mountains, the proposed IBA will continue to be important for scientific research and long-term monitoring of the whole region. Map 1 (page 14) shows the location of the proposed IBA in Hong Kong. Map 2 (page 15) shows details of the proposed IBA, and Map 3 (page 16) shows habitat structure of the proposed IBA. CRIITERIA 19 EBA code for proposed IBA: 20 Biome code for proposed IBA: 21 Criteria Proposed IBA: A 1, A3 22 Criteria Notes: BirdLife International IBA DATA FORM 2 /16 1 Compiler: Hong Kong Bird Watching Society 2 Date: August 2003 4 Temporary IBA Code: 5 Final IBA Code: BIRD SPECIES DATA 23 Species 24 Season 26 Abund. 31 Criteria 32 Notes Pitta nympha P, W E A1 All records were from wooded areas but were widely scattered. A scarce spring and autumn passage (Fairy Pitta) A3 migrant occurring in scattered wooded localities. There were only 6 records in Hong Kong since 1962 and only one found in Tai Po Kau in 1991. Mainly passage birds: 1 individual on 20-23 April 1962, 1 on 22-24 July 1967, 1 on 16 September 1991, 1 on 19 April 1993 and 1 on 29 September 1994 (Carey et al. 2001). Terpsiphone atrocaudata P C A1 Scarce passage migrant. Over half of the records were made in Spring (March to April). The number (Japanese Paradise Flycatcher) varies from year to year, the highest count being 6 at Tai Po Kau on 13 April 1992. There is also autumn passage between August to November, and mostly occurs in late September and the peak count is 4 at Tai Po Kau on 6 October 1978. The majority of records are 1-3 birds (Carey et al. 2001). Graminicola bengalensis R B A1 Scarce, grassland specialist breeding at about 500m. It was first recorded on Tai Mo Shan on 20 (Large Grass Warbler) June 1982. It has been recorded annually in summer between March to October at the same locality at an altitude of 500-800m, with a maximum peak of 7 on 3 June 1995. It breeds away from Tai Mo Shan. On 31 May 1988, it was found breeding on a grassy area above Tai Po Kau, and on 18 July 1993, it was found breeding at Ti To Yan, area in vicinity of Tai Mo Shan Country Park (Carey et al. 2001). Coracina melaschistos P , W C A3 Occurs in relatively small numbers, usually 1-2 individuals and it is mostly reported at Tai Po Kau. (Black-winged Cuckoo Shrike) It used to stay in Hong Kong from the 3rd week of September to the 1 st week of April (Carey et al. 2001). Pericrocotus cantonensis P E A3 Only one individual was recorded at Tai Po Kau on 5 and 12 April 2002 (HKBWS, 1995). (Swinhoe’s Minivet) Pycnonotus sinensis R A A3 The most common and widespread species in Hong Kong because it can tolerate a wide variety of (Chinese Bulbul) habitats. There has been a record of over 1000 birds seen together at Tai Po Kau on 8 April 1976 (Carey et al. 2001). Its breeding status was confirmed* in 1998 (Kwok et al. 1998) Hemixos castanonotus R, W A A3 Until the early 1980s it was an irruptive winter visitor and later on Tai Po Kau has got the greatest (Chestnut Bulbul) number recorded. 5 individuals were recorded on 26 June 1982. Only 3 recorded in 1983, and none in 1984 and 1985. It was again recorded at Tai Po Kau and throughout the year since 1986, and young were seen there since 30 August 1989. It has extended its range to closed canopy woodlands in central and eastern New Territories. The birds are reported at Tai Po Kau in small numbers up to 20 throughout the years, though it is likely that significantly higher numbers are present. The highest count was 50 at Tai Po Kau on 2 January 1992 (Carey et al. 2001). Its breeding status was confirmed* in 1998 (Kwok et al. 1998) Hysipetes leucocephalus W D A3 It occurs in small parties in forest and woodland areas in New Territories between February and (Black Bulbul) April. In 1992, 10 individuals were found at Tai Po Kau on 1 February; 50 individuals in February and March; and 170 individuals on 29 March. In 1997, 8 individuals were seen at Tai Po Kau from 4 May to 3 June, and 3 were observed in Tai Mo Shan on 31 May. The birds were also recorded in other places including Ng Tung Tsai and the area nearby (Carey et al. 2001 ). Chloropsis hardwickii R C A3 First recorded in 1934. There was no further record until 2 October 1984 at Tai Po Kau. Influx (Orange-bellied Leafbird) started in 1985-86, 3 were recorded at Tai Po Kau. On 5 March 1987, a pair was seen breeding near Tai Mo Shan Country Park and it started breeding at Tai Po Kau in 1988 and 1989. The highest recent count was 5 at Tai Po Kau on 4 October 1997 (Carey et al. 2001). In the 1990s’, Tai Po Kau remains the stronghold and birds are reported in small numbers throughout the year. There was confirmed possible breeding* in 1998 (Kwok et al. 1998) Enicurus schisaceus R D A3 Occasional visitor to the central New Territories with at least 1 breeding pair seemingly resident at (Slaty-backed Forktail) Ng Tung Chai (HKBWS, 1995) and possibly also at Tai Po Kau. All records in these two places are considered related to wild birds. There were individual records at Tai Po Kau in 1977 to 1979, 1981 1989, 1994 to 1995 (Carey et al. 2001), 1997 to 2000 (HKBWS database). A pair at Ng Tung Chai was found from 15 December 1995 through to at least December 1998. Breeding occurred in 1995, a juvenile was seen on 23 May.