Some large birds have returned to nest, forage, and live in Hoan Kiem Lake when there is safety and abundant food sources again.
In early August, flocks of dozens of birds spread their wings and flew around Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter in the center of Hanoi, creating a rather strange image.
Ngoc Island – where Ngoc Son Temple is located – is an area with dense vegetation and many large ancient trees chosen by flocks of birds as their shelter at Hoan Kiem Lake.
From the lake shore looking towards Ngoc Island, one can clearly see flocks of herons perching for hours close to the water’s surface, waiting for prey.
Near Thuy Ta, there are 5 banyan trees with shady canopies, spreading out to cover a large space by the lake, a place for tourists and locals to rest, and also a place for birds to nest.
The baby birds are about the size of pigeons and are learning to hop from branch to branch.
Birds carry dry branches to make nests on Ngoc Island.
Adult storks are about 60-70cm long and weigh about 0.8kg.
People living around Hoan Kiem Lake said that the birds come here to live because they feel safe because there are many shrimp and fish for food.
Photo of a heron craning its neck on a tree canopy looking for food on Ngoc Island.
The roots of the banyan tree hanging down to the water surface are often chosen by birds as a hunting ground on the shore of Hoan Kiem Lake.
Wild birds here include herons, egrets, blue storks (heron family), kingfishers…
In the picture is a bird catching fish at the roots of a banyan tree hanging down to the water surface.
In addition to wild birds, squirrels also appear quite a lot.
In the row of banyan trees next to Thuy Ta house, it is easy to see 4-5 squirrels living here.
The heron usually stands still at the water’s edge and waits to ambush its prey, mainly at night or early in the morning.
In the past, Hoan Kiem Lake rarely had large birds living there, sometimes there were only flocks of pigeons flying around or small wild birds like sparrows, worms…
The phenomenon of large wild birds coming to Hoan Kiem Lake to roost and forage shows a safe space despite being located in the middle of a very crowded urban area.
Flocks of birds flying in the crowded old quarter create a sense of peace.