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Hong Kong Wetland Park is holding the "Bird Watching Festival 2011/12" from today (November 2) until March 2012. During the festival period, visitors will be able to learn about the behaviour of wild ducks through a range of activities including guided tours, a thematic exhibition and workshops.
Located next to the Mai Po Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site, the Park is an ideal place for bird watching. To date, the Park has recorded 238 species of birds. Every winter, the Park attracts flocks of birds migrating from the north to inhabit the wetlands.
Anatidae is the biological family of birds that includes ducks, geese and swans. Among the 12 species of ducks recorded at the Park, "dabbling ducks" are the most commonly found - ducks which feed mainly at the surface rather than by diving. Five "star" ducks at the Park, namely the Eurasian Wigeon, Northern Pintail, Eurasian Teal, Northern Shoveler and Garganey, have been selected for visitors to vote for their favourite species.
Ducks are characterised by their broad bills and short legs. They have webbed feet that help them swim. The Northern Pintails look funny when foraging. They dip their head down under the water with their tail up in the air. As ducks live primarily in water, they have well-developed preen glands. Located at the base of the tail, this gland secretes oil that the duck spreads over its feathers during preening. The oil helps to maintain the luster of the feathers and repel water.
Ducks live in groups and they migrate in large flocks in winter. Most ducks are polygamous and a single male might have more than ten mates. In general, male ducks are more colourful or ornamented than females to help them attract mates.
To enrich visitors' experiences, the comic character Ah Lei has been appointed as an ambassador for the bird watching festival. He will accompany visitors and help them learn more about the ducks in a fun-filled way. The Park will also present a wide array of activities for visitors including Wetland Duck Tours, a thematic exhibition and art workshops. To tie in with the festival, roving exhibitions titled "Migratory Birds and Wetlands" and "Bird Migration" will also be held at the Hong Kong Science Museum and public libraries to convey wetland conservation messages to the public.
For details, please visit www.wetlandpark.com .
Ends/Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Issued at HKT 16:03
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