A New Photo Exhibition Showcases the City's Majestic Black Kites
Have you ever noticed Hong Kong's black kites, hovering above the harbor or outside your window? Photographer John Holmes spent four weeks snapping photos of the city's ubiquitous birds of prey.
In a collaboration with Canon, bird photographer John Holmes dedicated four weeks to exploring the beauty of the city's black kites.
"Black kites are an special phenomenon in Hong Kong because we have so many—a population of about 1,300 in the winter," says Holmes. "It's something that visitors and citizens notice, and they're quite symbolic of Hong Kong."
Photo: John Holmes
Black kites co-habiting with humans in urban areas is rare phenomenon, seen only in big cities such as New York and New Delhi.
Watching the kites surprised the photographer, who has been shooting birds for more than 20 years. "Black kites are more purposeful than I thought. When they identify something to eat, their behavior changes noticeably," explains Holmes. "They circle the area, slip down towards the water, glide for the last several meters and snatch the fish out of the water. I've learned to respect them a little more than before."
Black kites hunt along Victoria Harbour and around Hong Kong waters—and we should be thankful for it. "They serve this function of cleaning up the harbour. They're here and they're not costing us anything."