Migratory bluebill diving ducks rarely seen in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, have been identified in sea areas near Shuiwantou in Gongbei and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge on multiple occasions.

The Zhuhai Bird Watching Society has been searching five years for the bluebills (greater scaup, aythya marila), among similar-looking tufted ducks (aythya fuligula). According to their survey, local tufted ducks are mainly distributed in Shuiwantou coastline across from Zhuhai Holiday Resort Hotel, Qi'ao Island in Tangjiawan, and Meili Bay in Xiangzhou, in flocks of more than 800. There are also small groups on Hengqin Island, along the coastlines of Qianwu Town in Doumen and Jinwan's Pingsha Ecological Park.

A greater scaup [Photo courtesy Zhuhai Bird Watching Society]

Researchers of the society found six potential greater scaups last December among 1,200 tufted ducks off the Shuiwantou coast. More than 10 were identified there on Jan 16 as the society surveyed black-faced spoonbills.

The greater scaup has a glossy green-black head; white sides and belly; black tail, neck and breast; and barred gray flanks and back. The species mainly lives in Arctic and subarctic areas of northern North America, Europe, and Asia and migrates southward to winter in coastal waters.

The appearance of such a large population attracts the attention of many Zhuhai, Macao, and Guangzhou conservationists, as normally only two or three greater scaups can among tufted ducks in the Greater Bay Area.

With little human interference, the narrow Shuiwantou coastline in Gongbei Bay provides shelter for wild birds and abundant fish and shrimp as food. The sea area provides an ideal habitat for swimming birds, while the mudflats attract a great number of great egrets, gray herons, avocets, and common greenshanks.

The Zhuhai Bird Watching Society tallied thousands of wild birds in 52 species, 28 orders, and 10 families from January 2019 to March 2021. One species is under national first-class protection, three under national second-class protection, and 10 have provincial key protection.