THE International Black-faced Spoonbill Census 2021 will be launched Friday and run through Sunday, according to information released by the Shenzhen Bird Watching Society.

Residents and social organizations are welcome to submit related information.

Up to 361 black-faced spoonbills, were spotted at Shenzhen Bay by staff and volunteers from organizations including Shenzhen and Hong Kong bird watching societies and Shenzhen Mangrove Wetlands Conservation Foundation (MCF) in 2020. On a global scale, a total of 4,864 black-faced spoonbills were counted last January. The number was reported to hit a record high.

The International Black-faced Spoonbill Census has been led by the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society since 1997 and largely supported by local voluntary researchers at places where black-faced spoonbills would stay during winter.

Shenzhen Bay is one of the important habitats for black-faced spoonbills during winter.

The census normally starts in the mid- to late January as this is the time when the number of black-faced spoonbills is stable, according to Shenzhen Special Zone Daily.

If residents spot black-faced spoonbills in any other places, they can report them to the email address, admin@szbird.org.cn.

(Wang Jingli)