AS dusk fell in the Futian Mangrove Ecological Park in Futian District, an unusual, soft, amber glow emanated from 100 lampposts that effectively double as bird nurseries.

This unlikely transformation began in the spring of 2020. Back then, park ranger Rong Canzhong noticed a resourceful great tit weaving dry grass into a lamppost vent. His team later found nests in 14 lamps.

“Cavity-nesting birds like the great tit and oriental magpie-robin can’t excavate their own nests,” Rong explained. Urban trees rarely offer natural hollows, and lampposts have become unintended refuges.

Yet this makeshift solution posed risks, as nests could collapse and water infiltration threatened electrical systems. Rather than evicting their feathered tenants, Rong’s team embarked on a mission to co-design safe havens with both light and nature in mind.

Their year-long research resulted in an ingenious, patented solution in 2023. Replacing ordinary lamps, the park now hosts 100 custom “bird nest lights,” including 40 lampposts that feature removable nest boxes to prevent collapse. The carefully chosen amber bulbs avoid wavelengths known to disrupt fireflies.

Rong said 75 nests have successfully raised new life over the past five years. With hidden cameras monitoring temperature and humidity, the microclimate of each avian nursery now informs future urban habitat designs at the Sun Yat-sen University ecological center.

This urban refuge represents more than just local innovation — it forms part of Shenzhen’s wider vision to serve as a vital hub on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. During migration season, parks dim lights by 11 p.m. for undisturbed rest.

Progress is measurable. As of March this year, 429 bird species were thriving in Shenzhen, including 15 protected species. The city’s new wildlife protection blueprint, notably, now expressly integrates bird conservation.

“Next steps involve deeper collaboration across the Greater Bay Area,” said an official from Shenzhen’s planning and natural resources bureau. The official added that foraging and stopover sites for waterbirds will be formed by constructing various wetland patches, thereby creating ecological corridors for regional waterfowl and global migratory birds.     (Xinhua)