Group 1:
Collecting data on ringed birds is important to understand bird behaviour. This group decided to use iNaturalist to set up a dedicated sharing platform on which professional bird photographers can report ringed bird sightings. This accessible platform allows researchers to access data more easily. The group also plans to develop a reward scheme for the platform which they hope will attract more bird photographers.

Check out the Hong Kong Shorebirds Leg Flag Reporting Scheme (beta version) HERE

Group 2:
These days, young people gather a lot of their information through social media. This group decided to create interesting and engaging Instagram posts. These posts explain how bird ringing and flyways work through simple graphics, aiming to improve public understanding of the importance of protecting wintering and stopover sites.

Group 3:
This team considered primary school students to be the perfect target group for an introduction to migratory bird education, as children often eager share information with their families. The team created a series of stories that were carefully designed to make education materials more interactive, including a comic about Spoon-billed sandpipers migration journey, interactive virtual games, and others.

Group 1 Jacky:
Our group’s idea was to establish an iNaturalist platform for ringed birds, since we thought other platforms were neither user-friendly nor attractive to newcomers. Our proposal integrates sighting reports and citizen science and allows both amateur and professional bird photographers to upload photos of ringed shorebirds onto the new platform. At the end of every birdwatching season, we will announce the top three observers – the winners will be determined by the number of qualified observations they upload.

Group 2 Joyce:
Our project was separated into three parts: making Instagram content, designing graphics and designing a Google form. By increasing public awareness of how bird ringing works, we hope that more people will report leg flag sightings!

Group 3 Laughing:
Since most of our team members have an environmental education background, we decided to design a set of teaching materials about migratory birds. Based on the story and experiences that are set out in the LOLO’S FLYING JOURNEY education pack, we designed online learning materials, including comics and interactive challenges that will attract and engage primary and junior secondary students.

Group 1 Jacky:
Initially, we were confused about the difference between waterbirds and shorebirds – we did not know what to name our project! We later figured out that “waterbird” is a very broad term that covers seabirds, shorebirds, waterfowl, and other birds; whereas our programme only covers waders, for example sandpipers, snipes and godwits. So the term “shorebird” is much more precise and accurate.

Group 2 Joyce:
The Red knot case study clearly showed me how the bird ringing system helps to protect wetlands. The bird ringing programme allowed scientists to follow the migratory path of Red knots, and the data gathered helped to establish a conservation area in the Nanpu wetland, a wetland of high ecological value in Bohai Bay.

Group 3 Laughing:
When I was organising the information, I was surprised that Spoon-billed sandpipers encounter so many challenges during their migrations. Even the food they eat differs from place to place! For example, in their breeding grounds, they feed on various invertebrates like midges, mosquitoes, flies, beetles, and spiders; but while overwintering, they eat mostly marine invertebrates, including polychaete worms and shrimp.