Birding Shanghai in July 2023 – 10,000 Birds

Given how sizzling and typically humid it’s in Shanghai in July, it’s a surprise there are any birds right here on this month, notably taking into consideration that the majority chook nests are usually not air-conditioned. Nonetheless, a couple of spend the summer season right here.

The Chinese language Hwamei is a second-level protected species in China – as a consequence, based on Chinese language regulation on wildlife safety, it’s prohibited for native folks to seize and preserve the species in captivity with out a allow.

Nonetheless, this doesn’t appear to assist the Chinese language Hwamei a lot – a study exhibits that this laws is generally ignored, and Hwamei keepers give the standard excuses reminiscent of advantages for the group members’ well being, cultural heritage and contributions to native livelihoods (a minimum of the final two of those arguments are in all probability additionally cited by US jail guards as an argument to not cut back the US jail inhabitants).

Surprisingly, the creator of the research makes use of this case as an argument to not ban holding Hwameis in captivity unlawful altogether however reasonably simply to restrict the holding. One of many causes said is “the advantages of the folks” (not the birds). Hmm, I believe I disagree with the creator.

As well as, whereas there’s restricted or no authorized commerce of Chinese language Hwameis to different nations, the species remains to be available in chook markets in nations reminiscent of Thailand and Indonesia (supply) – poor chook.

Whereas I simply wrote a put up in regards to the Amur Paradise Flycatcher and one in every of its shut family, this isn’t a motive to not present some extra pictures of the species.

When you ever wished to know the way it feels to swim in a bowl by which salad is being washed, you would possibly need to ask these Little Grebes.

And that’s it for Shanghai for this month, a minimum of from me – aside from the warmth and the relative lack of birds, another excuse for the shortness of this put up is that I spent half of the month in Borneo. Guess what I did there.