LIVING in downtown Shanghai, most of the wildlife I see consists of sparrows and insects.

But many may be surprised to learn the metropolis is home to hundreds of species of wild birds like herons, ducks and shorebirds.

A guide from Shanghai Wildlife Conservation Management Station gave me a tour of Hengsha Island in Chongming County. Hengsha is the smallest of the county’s three islands and many migratory birds stop here in the autumn as they head south for the winter.

The station has been surveying birds on the island since August 2010. Thus far, more than 250 different species of birds have been recorded, representing 58 percent of all species found in Shanghai.

Our first surprise is spotting two juvenile great crested grebes by a shallow pond. Unlike adult great crested grebes, which have a distinct head and neck decorations, the young ones are black and white. They feed on fish mostly and are one of the most common species of grebes.

Little grebes, horned grebes and black-necked grebes can also be found in Shanghai.

Herons are probably the easiest to spot because they are much larger and often nest in colonies. These long-legged, elegant creatures have long and broad wings, soft plumage and long bills. Common species include grey heron, great egret, little egret, intermediate egret, Chinese pond heron and black-crowned night heron.

When bird watching look for some cows. Some species of egrets like to stay close to large mammals to catch insects and small prey. Attle egrets are typically around 50 centimeters long, have short necks, white plumage, a yellow bill and grey legs.

Belonging to the same Ardeidae family as herons, bitterns are smaller, have shorter necks and are much more difficult to find. These feathered friends tend to hide in reed beds.

The guide seems pleased when he spots a Von Schrenck’s bittern by the roadside. Although not rare in China, they are somewhat hard to find in Shanghai. Vice station master Yuan Xiao says it’s the second time he has seen one.

The bittern remains motionless for minutes as its chestnut colored plumage provides good camouflage. When in reed beds, bitterns often remain motionless to avoid predators. After leaving, we went back a little bit later and our guide found it again, hiding under a big pipe and it didn’t move for quite some time.

Our third surprise of the day is spotting a Japanese quail resting on a rusty pipe and it doesn’t seem fazed as we stop just meters away to take photographs.

As an domestic species, quails are common. Their eggs are also considered a delicacy in many countries around the world.

Few people, however, have seen quails in the wild. Quails scare easily and they tend to fly away at the slightest movement. They feed on seeds and insects, and belong to the pheasant family.

We saw quite a few different species of sandpipers, a shorebird with long legs, narrow wings and narrow bills. They usually feed along water line or mudflat and are relatively easy to find in the wetlands.

There were also raptors. These large and more powerful predators usually soar in the sky, and can be seen with binoculars.

Most of the species found on Hengsha can also be seen at Dongtan National Nature Reserve in Chongming. Its science education museum is open to the public.

Avid birders enjoy observing sparrows and swallows in their own neighborhood, finding magpies in a nearby park and spending hours at places like Hengsha Island peering through binoculars to find rare species.

Bring a good telephoto lens of at least 300mm to ensure you can take excellent photos of birds off in the distance.

For those who wants to go on a birdwatching trip, you can find information of birdwatching in Shanghai at the Wild Bird Society of Shanghai’s online discussion board: http://www.shwbs.org/swb/.

There are sections on wild bird rescue and conservation, photography, knowledge of different species of board and more.

Members of the Wild Bird Society post activity information in this section: http://www.shwbs.org/swb/thread.php?fid=9, where you can find upcoming birdwatching events organized by others.

There is also an English section “Birdwatching in Shanghai” for expats or visiting birdwatchers.

Birdwatching is a rather easy activity to take part in. All you need is transportation and a telescope. If you are an avid photographer with proper equipment, bring your cameras to snap a few shots.

The East China Normal University has a club for birdwatching. Follow their Weibo account @华东师大爱鸟俱乐部 to find upcoming birdwatching trips that you can join.

Top destinations for birdwatching in Shanghai

1. Dongtan area in Chongming

This is the best place for watching aquatic birds in Shanghai. About 50 to 80 species of birds can be found.

 

2. North Lake in Chongming

This is a new destination for watching aquatic birds with 20 to 40 species.

 

3. Century Forest Park in Fengxian

This is the best location for birdwatching in southern Shanghai. In spring there are many migratory birds.

 

4. Century Park

An ideal place for watching birds due to its downtown location and access to public transportation

 

5. Gongqing Forest Park

About 20 to 30 species can be spotted here.

 

6. Shanghai Botanical Garden

There’s more than flowers and trees in the botanical garden. Birds like azure-winged magpie and finches are easy to find.

 

7. Tianma Mountain in Songjiang

This is an ideal destination for watching birds and birders will generally spot about 20 species on a one-day trip.

Zhang Hang

28, a avian ecology major at East China Normal University. He started birdwatching in 2011 and goes on birdwatching trips every few months.

Q: What do you usually bring on a trip?

A: A pair of binocular. I also take a monocular to watch aquatic birds. I enjoy taking notes so I also bring a pen and notepad.

 

Q: When’s the best time to go watching birds?

A: Autumn is a good time, especially for aquatic birds. The birds have a longer migration time in autumn than in spring. For me it’s still very exciting to see a species I’ve never seen before and endangered species. This time of year is good for birds, passerines and raptors passing by.

 

Q: Have you traveled outside Shanghai to go birdwatching?

A: I’ve been to Shandong, Henan and Zhejiang provinces as well as Jilin, which is where I come from. I now have a habit of always looking in the trees. When I hear a bird singing I imagine what it looks like.

 

Q: Where do you recommend going birdwatching in Shanghai?

A: Chongming, Nanhui, Binjiang Forest Park, Shanghai Botanical Garden, Fengxian Bay Forest Park, Tianma Mountain in Songjiang, and also Dishui Lake if you want to see ducks.

 

Q: What advice do you have for beginners?

A: Start at parks in your neighborhood. It’s not about seeing the most species, but gaining a deep impression of each species you see. You can start with sparrows, watching where they nest, mate, breed and what they eat.

It you understand one bird thoroughly it will be easier to start learning about others.