Shenzhen Bay is now at the peak of its annual bird migration season. Melodious bird calls fill the air as flocks of migratory birds soar across the sky. If you're planning a bird-watching trip here, be sure to save this guide!
(Photo: CCTV News)
Futian Mangrove National Nature Reserve (福田红树林自然保护区)
The Futian Mangrove National Nature Reserve and Hong Kong's Mai Po Nature Reserve together form the Shenzhen Bay (Deep Bay) mangrove wetlands. Situated along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway, this wetland is an important wintering ground and stopover site for migratory birds. Nearly 100,000 birds visit the area each year to rest and overwinter. The Futian reserve alone has recorded 273 bird species, including 60 nationally protected species in China.
(Photo: SZTV News)
Getting there: Take the metro to Shenzhen Bay Park Station (深圳湾公园站), then head to North Gate 6 of Mangrove Seashore Ecological Park (红树林海滨生态公园（北6门）) to access the reserve area.
Best viewing spots: The Bird-watching Pavilion, Bird-watching House and Bird-watching Corridor offer good vantage points. Visitors can also use observation facilities equipped with smart monitoring systems.
(Photos: SZTV News)
Shenzhen Bay Park (深圳湾公园)
The park offers several convenient spots for observing migratory birds.
(Photo: CCTV News)
1. Main Area of Shenzhen Bay Park: Accessible via Exits C and D of Shenzhen Bay Park Station (深圳湾公园站), this is one of the park's popular bird-watching areas.
2. North Bay Egret Port Viewing Platform (北湾鹭港-观景平台): Located about 110 meters south of Binhai Boulevard in Nanshan District (南山区滨海大道南110米), the platform offers a good vantage point for photographing large flocks of cormorants.
(Photo: CCTV News)
Best time and conditions for bird watching
The best season for bird watching is from September to May. Early mornings (6–8 a.m.) and around 5 p.m. are ideal, when the light is softer and birds are often active and feeding. Birds are most active when the tidal level reaches 0.5–1.2 meters above the sea-level datum, making this an ideal time for bird watching.
Bird-watching etiquette
To protect migratory birds and their habitats, visitors should keep quiet and avoid chasing or scaring the birds. Do not feed them, step onto tidal flats or get too close to flocks. Flash photography and drones are prohibited.
Author | He Fengyu
