Study Buddy (Explorer): Hong Kong’s wild duck habitat is a flying success
Each week, this page presents a light article with questions to test your comprehension
A project by the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society and fishermen in the northwest New Territories to create a habitat for wild ducks has yielded unexpected results. Photo: HKBWSContent provided by British Council
Read the following text, and answer questions 1-9 below:
[1] A government-funded project by fishermen and a green group to create a habitat for wild ducks in the northwest New Territories has produced unexpected and positive results. A total of 120 bird species were recorded in the last four years, accounting for 20 per cent of the types in Hong Kong. The project started in March 2021.
[2] Chung Yun-tak, the assistant project manager of the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, said the society and local fishermen regularly cleared the weeds and retained reeds to maintain the open habitats and provide shelter for birds that shied away from urban areas. He added that algae cultivation could also help provide a food source for wild ducks.
[3] According to Yu Yat-tung from the society, 120 bird species, including nine wild duck types, had been recorded at the site. Seven of the nine were dabbling ducks, accounting for a third of that species in the city.
[4] Yu said more than 200 wild ducks were spotted in the pond during the migratory season, including the Eurasian teal and northern pintail. The ducks’ daily usage time and the overall seasonal duration at the pond were also increasing yearly, he said. According to the green group, the number of Eurasian teals and northern pintails recorded in Deep Bay fell by 68 per cent and 38 per cent, respectively, between 2002 and 2022. “This shows the [duck pond’s] attractiveness among the various habitats in Deep Bay,” Yu said, adding that he hoped to steadily increase the number of wild ducks in the city.
[5] Yu said the duck pond had become a breeding ground for birds during the summer, with 97 nests involving seven species, such as the yellow bittern, recorded between 2022 and 2024. He said the data meant there were an average of 16 nests per hectare in the duck pond.
[6] “Such high nest density is rare in Deep Bay,” he added, explaining that the duck ponds involved minimal human disturbance and were rich in insects, an essential food source for birds to feed their chicks.
[7] Yu added that the duck pond had attracted globally threatened species, including the critically endangered yellow-breasted bunting, endangered black-faced spoonbill, near-threatened red-necked stint and near-threatened northern lapwing. Nearly 40 black-faced spoonbills had been recorded on the bird islands of the duck pond, accounting for 10 per cent of the total number in the city.
[8] The group’s 24/7 monitoring system recorded a brown fish owl at night. It marked the first record of the species in the Mai Po Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site since the Hong Kong Fishpond Conservation Scheme started 12 years ago.
[9] “The trial project is successfully attributed to multiple factors, including site selection, minimal human disturbance and the creation of diverse habitats for birds,” Yu said, explaining why he refused to reveal the exact location of the duck pond.
Source: South China Morning Post, March 2
Questions
1. How long has the project been running, according to paragraph 1?
2. In paragraph 2, why do the society and the local fishermen regularly clear the weeds and retain reeds?
3. Decide whether the following statements about paragraphs 3 and 4 are True, False or the information is Not Given. Fill in ONE circle only for each. (4 marks)
(i) There are only a few types of birds at the site.
(ii) Eurasian teal and northern pintail ducks migrate in March every year.
(iii) Ducks are spending less time at the pond each day.
(iv) The pond has become more attractive to ducks over time.
4. What does “the green group” in paragraph 4 refer to?
5. According to paragraphs 4 and 5, the number of … decreased by 38 per cent between 2002 and 2022.
A. Eurasian teals
B. northern pintails
C. yellow bittern
D. all of the above
6. Why are the duck ponds mentioned in paragraph 6 good for birds?
7. Black-faced spoonbills are considered … species according to paragraph 7.
A. extinct
B. critically endangered
C. endangered
D. near-threatened
8. What is special about the brown fish owl in paragraph 8?
9. Based on your understanding of paragraph 9, why does Yu want to keep the duck pond’s location a secret?
Answers
1. around four years (accept all reasonable answers)
2. to maintain the open habitats and provide shelter for birds that shy away from urban areas
3. (i) F; (ii) NG; (iii) F; (iv) T
4. the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society
5. B
6. The duck ponds have minimal human disturbance and are rich in insects
7. C
8. The brown fish owl spotted at night marks the first record of the species in the Mai Po Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site since the Hong Kong Fishpond Conservation Scheme started 12 years ago. (accept all similar answers)
9. He does not want anyone to go and disturb the wild ducks and other birds’ habitats. (accept all reasonable answers)