Cuckoos at Kowloon Catchwater

By mid April several species of cuckoo have arrived in Hong Kong to breed. The Large Hawk Cuckoo and Plaintive Cuckoo have been singing on the Chinese University campus, and today the Chestnut-winged Cuckoo and Hodgson's Hawk Cuckoo could be heard along the Kowloon Hills Catchwater. Including the hoot of the resident Greater Coucal, four species of cuckoo could be heard (but all remained unseen, as is often the case). Also calling prominently were Great Barbets, one of which showed itself in a bare tree, and a few Chestnut Bulbuls.
A pleasant surprise: at least at this location, the macaques are no longer a nuisance. It would appear that fines of up to 10,000 HKD with occasional enforcement have finally induced locals to stop feeding the monkeys, which are no longer threatening passers-by or trying to steal from them.

Posted on April 15, 2022 09:57 AM by stephenmatthews