Along the waterfront of Hong Kong’s outlying Cheung Chau island, a lengthy line of photographers wait 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 the waters for food or using its sharp talons to catch fish swimming along 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 many such as 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 (19 inches to 23 inches) 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 Pak-yung said.
Animal photography enthusiast Vincent Wong Lai-kit said his recent trip 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 over the past few weeks, saying their presence helped with business.
A man surnamed Lee, who works at So Bor Kee Seafood Restaurant, said that while the owls had been a “regular” at the waterfront over the past few 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 when there aren’t a lot of people passing by, or during the recent bad weather.”
A woman in her fifties 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.
Aside from Hong Kong, brown fish owls can be found in the eastern and southern parts of mainland China, as well as the Middle East and much of South and Southeast Asia.
The birds inhabit shrub land and woodland near water bodies such as freshwater streams, coasts and reservoirs.
Due to its large range, brown fish owls are considered of “least concern” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s “Red List”, which classifies species according to threats of extinction. However, their global population is believed to be declining.
Owls have an average lifespan of nine to 10 years, but larger ones may live longer due to lower levels of predation.
