The city center has green patches where birds live, attracting many nature-enthusiast photographers to hunt birds.
Photographers focus on watching and photographing birds at Tao Dan Park, District 1. Tao Dan is like a “green lung of Ho Chi Minh City” about 10 hectares wide with more than 1,000 shady trees. This is a place where people gather to exercise, but it is also a place where many species of birds live.
Mr. Nguyen Anh The (born in 1984, often called Andy Nguyen), the owner of the Vietnambirds website, is one of the photographers who regularly hunt birds in Ho Chi Minh City. He shared that photography is an elegant hobby on weekends or holidays for members when wild birds appear at the park.
In Ho Chi Minh City, people are so busy that sometimes they don’t have much time to pay attention to the birds living around. The most common is the sparrow, then the brown starling, black starling or cuckoo.
If you look closely, many people will see many other beautiful birds, they live in the middle of the city, on the road, in the park or in the temple. The appearance of birds opens up another aspect of life as well as ecotourism. Pictured is the white-headed babbler at Tao Dan Park. This species has a loud call and often feeds on the ground.
“There is no need to travel far, bustling and livable Ho Chi Minh City still have peaceful green areas for us to indulge in our passions,” said Andy.
One of the most impressive, rare and beautiful migratory birds Andy captured is the blue-winged penguin at Tao Dan Park. They usually reside and feed in Indonesian forests. During the breeding season, which usually begins in April every year, they return to Vietnam to mate, nest and give birth to a new generation of young birds.
“I hope through this series of photos to convey a positive message to everyone that we should love nature. Don’t hunt birds because they are friends, a part of people’s lives in the city,” he confided.
Black-headed amphibians, a beautiful and rare migratory species, appear in Tao Dan Park. Photographers who specialize in capturing wild birds from all over the country gather at Tao Dan Park to admire this species.
Mr. Andy shared that photographers often monitor birds at Tao Dan Park, to come and observe directly even if it is only for a short time of 2-3 days.
The iridescent green color of the black-necked flycatcher in Ky Hoa Park, usually lives alone but sometimes in pairs on low tree floors.
On the tall oil trees in Ky Hoa park is the habitat of the yellow-backed flycatcher (pictured), golden anh or ward rower. However, these birds usually do not stay for too long, they appear here for a few weeks and then fly elsewhere to feed.
The large red rowing ward has beautiful colors at Ky Hoa park. When small birds appear, they will bring birds of prey to fly. At this park, you can meet birds of prey such as gray eagles and owls.
Visitors to Ky Hoa Park can see birds that live permanently around the lotus pond such as white-breasted hoe (pictured), blue stork, stork, brown-headed lemongrass, citronella or kingfisher. Ky Hoa Park (District 10) is about 14 hectares wide, with many trees, lawns, lagoons or lotus ponds. This is a favorite habitat for many birds, and is also a favorite rendezvous for bird photographers.
Release the Zoo or Botanical Garden – a famous zoo in Ho Chi Minh City, built in 1865. The campus and surrounding greenery have many native birds living, adapting to small green patches, no need Forest. They successfully “stick” to the city environment, including the blue-billed cuckoo (pictured), the cockatoo or the red-breasted parrot, according to Andy.
In Ho Chi Minh City, there are hundreds of people who love hunting birds. When there were beautiful native birds or migratory birds, they quickly arrived. In large parks, near the riverbank or with a lot of weedy bushes, visitors can also meet beautiful native birds such as the flamingo dragon, the rock-crowned, the white-headed or the black-headed – many people believe that only can be found in the countryside. In the photo is the black-headed moth, taken in the parking area of Thu Thiem River, District 2.
Andy Nguyen is also a guide, often organizing bird photography tours. He said bird watching tourism is quite new, but has also gradually become popular in recent times, it helps people with nature-loving souls more comfortable.
Many species of migratory birds still visit Ho Chi Minh City every year such as the black-eyed warbler (photo, taken at Thu Thiem riverside park), forest lime, Taiga flycatcher, Japanese flycatcher, blue-winged penguin, and short-tailed tail. blackhead, redbelly truncated tail…
A family of dramatic birds (a species of waterfowl) live around a lotus pond in Ky Hoa Park.
Photo: Andy Nguyen