The disease-carrying birds venture into homes in search for food, an expert warns
Hong Kong faces a population explosion of a noisy, disease-spreading bird that is already well established in Kowloon, a conservation specialist warns.
Tsim Siu-tai said a recent survey counted a flock of at least 100 house crows in Kowloon Tsai Park. Other flocks are at Shamshuipo Park and Lai Kok Estate with 30 birds at Cheung Sha Wan wholesale food and fish market.
House crows, native to India and Sri Lanka, get their name because the inquisitive and intelligent birds commonly venture into homes in search of food. A survey carried out by the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society about seven years ago recorded only 12 sightings of the species, said Dr Tsim, a member of the Tai Po Environmental Association, which has carried out many studies. Dr Tsim, who has a doctorate in biology and works on bird research, urged people to stop feeding all birds, including sparrows and pigeons.
He said his association wanted government agencies - like the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department - to form a team to examine the current population of house crows and look at their potential impact.
'The danger is that they are so close to people,' Dr Tsim said. 'They are a carrier of diseases like the West Nile virus and Japanese encephalitis. They can spread salmonella and cholera germs.