Environment | Concerns over decrease in migratory birds due to construction

A local bird watching group has expressed its concerns regarding the ongoing construction of the Lotus cycling track, noting that the number of incoming migratory birds has gone down by at least half.

In August last year, the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau confirmed that, according to the Environmental Protection Bureau, the construction project would not affect the migratory birds and the ecological zone on the site.

However, the Macau Aves Society thinks otherwise.

Since the site is a wetland habitat for migratory birds, the project is said to pose dangers to the birds’ habitat, as the construction project near the shore has created a noisy and dusty environment.

Some of the trees and plants beside the roads were also removed.

“Because the mudflat by the shore is shallower, birds will be foraging near the shore. However, the construction might affect the birds’ foraging as they have a fear of human movement and noise,” said Liu Kam Keung, president of Macau Aves Society, as cited in a report by TDM.

“These migratory birds might then choose another location such as Hengqin,” he added.

Lui also expressed the group’s concern regarding the sewage coming from the Coloane Sewage Treatment Plant that affects the natural ecosystem.

According to the president, a strong odor was present on the site.

“There was a strong odor when I was bird watching or taking photos here. The yellowish mudflat has also turned into a blackish mudflat every time the water recedes,” he said.

As the construction project is only set to end in March, the group believed that the government should first consult environmentalist and related groups before approving construction projects in these habitats.

Moreover, Liu said that the SAR had recorded 53 incoming black-faced spoonbills in November – an endangered species listed by international organizations – and hoped that such figure would be maintained yearly.