South China Morning Post

Brown fish owls a magnet for shutterbug­s

Along the waterfront of outlying Cheung Chau island, a group of photograph­ers waits patiently almost every day to capture shots of resident owls, which have also attracted curious passers-by and brought “good fortune” to nearby seafood restaurant­s.

The phenomenon has grown since earlier this month after posts of brown fish owls on several local birdwatchi­ng social media groups showed the animals perched on fishing vessels berthed along the shore.

The Post joined birdwatche­rs last week along Pak She Praya Road for two days to catch a glimpse of the largely nocturnal hunters.

One owl was spotted at around 7pm on both days, with the bird swooping down to the waterfront from the northern woods and staying in the area for about three hours each time.

While the owl spent most of its time scanning for food or using its sharp talons to catch fish near the water’s surface, it also occasional­ly stopped to shoot a piercing stare at the gathered crowd.

Two owls were also seen perched near each other on a fishing boat.

University student Frankie Kwok Yuen-fan said he rushed to the island after seeing posts about the owls on social media.

“This is the first time I’ve ever seen an owl. It felt wonderful seeing such an elusive bird,” the amateur birdwatche­r said. “I only started birdwatchi­ng about a year ago, but already feel overjoyed about the birds of Hong Kong.”

For Han Wenjiang, a tourist from mainland China visiting the island for the first time, the owls came as a surprise. He was also struck by the sight of all the photograph­ers.

“I didn’t know owls existed in Hong Kong. A lot of my friends recommende­d that I visit the island because of the food,” the 22-year-old said. “But I think the owls also create a uniqueness for Cheung Chau.”

Brown fish owls are large birds of prey, measuring 48cm to 58cm in length, with shades of beige, brown and buff in their plumage.

They have large round eyes, yellow irises, a dirty-white throat, fine lines running down their beige bodies and featherles­s legs.

True to their name, the birds’ diet consists of fish, but also other small marine animals, amphibians, snakes and rodents.

According to the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, brown fish owls are widespread in the city, but thinly distribute­d across the New Territorie­s, Lantau Island and Cheung Chau, with occasional sightings on Hong Kong Island.

In November 2008, Cheung Chau was cited in the society’s annual bird report as a “new locality” for brown fish owls.

“Hong Kong has recorded 11 owl species so far. Five of them, including the brown fish owl, are resident species, meaning they call Hong Kong ‘home’ and live here all year long,” society research officer Jay Kong Pakyung said.

Animal photograph­y enthusiast Vincent Wong Lai-kit said this was his third time seeing one of the owls. His first sighting was in 2021.

“They are beautiful animals to witness,” the 67-year-old retiree said. “I never tire of seeing them, knowing they have a stable record on Cheung Chau.”

Seafood restaurant­s near the photograph­ers’ viewing area have embraced the birds’ popularity in the past few weeks, saying their presence boosted business.

A man surnamed Lee, who works at So Bor Kee Seafood Restaurant, said while the owls had been a “regular” at the waterfront for some years, the crowds had grown much larger recently.

Viewing the owls as a blessing that brought “good fortune”, the 34-year-old said: “Sometimes, out of more than 50 photograph­ers present, maybe around 10 to 15 of them will eat at the restaurant along with other diners.

“The owls’ popularity has helped us especially on slow days ... or during the recent bad weather.”

A woman surnamed Tsang, who works at the neighbouri­ng Hing Lok Restaurant, said she had also seen a slight increase in customers over the past two weeks, including some photograph­ers hoping to see the owls.

“We’re grateful that the large crowd helps us somewhat, but this won’t last forever,” she said.

“Eventually, the photograph­ers will lose interest once they’ve got all the shots they want. But despite business being slower than [pre-pandemic] days, we’re glad the owls can draw attention to Cheung Chau,” she added.