Hong Kong Bird Garden
Just at the end of flower market (which starts at the end of fish market) is the Yuen Po Street Bird Garden. In Singapore, we also have bird appreciation groups and shops specialising in selling birds, although in the recent years have diminish tremendously. You still can find these shops at old neighbourhoods because most of the bird hobbyist are older generation.
Lined along a railway, this whole entire stretch of street is dedicated to bird hobbyist and is styled in a traditional chinese garden design. The park has dozens of stalls selling exotic birds, beautifully crafted bamboo cages, porcelain water dishes and other bird-care paraphernalia.
Bird cages with bright beautiful songstress line the poles as they gear up for a singing competition. The whole atmosphere was wonderful with beautiful gardens, randomly placed wooden chairs and birds dancing round.
Here, a sparrow enjoy the sweet freedom from a caged life.
All the shops here sell beautiful traditional made bamboo cages, some simple, others intricately carved wood or lined with beautiful borders. Little drinking cups are all porcelain and coloured with flowers or blue floral design.
While it’s unlikely that you’ll be purchasing a few Chinese thrushes as mementos of your Hong Kong trip, the garden is a pleasant place to witness this age-old Chinese hobby in action; where elderly men feed and preen their feathered friends in exchange for sweet songs.
Caged birds for sale.
Tiny drinking vases
Beautifully crafted bamboo cages.
Other than the usual songbirds and canaries we saw bright coloured exotic parrots, macaws and even toucan. However, these birds are placed in such squalid conditions it hurts my heart to see it frantically jump around in it’s small cage when it should be free, flying on the tree tops of a forest.
If you have time to spare, take a trip down to the bird garden from the main kowloon street.
YUEN PO STREET BIRD GARDEN
Address : Yuen Po Street, Prince Edward, Kowloon
How to get here : MTR Prince Edward Station Exit B1. Walk along Prince Edward Road west towards the Mongkok Stadium for about 15 minutes.
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