A flock of black-tailed godwits takes flight over the wetlands of Shenzhen Bay, a major stopover and wintering site for migratory birds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Photos by Lu Xiangrong
Shenzhen Enacts China's First Legislation on Nighttime Lighting for Bird Habitat Protection
Shenzhen has become the first city in China to introduce legislation addressing nighttime lighting around migratory bird habitats. The new mangrove wetland protection regulations, which took effect today, provide legal backing for efforts to reduce light pollution and safeguard wildlife.
The regulations mandate improved planning and management of nighttime lighting in and around mangrove wetlands used by migratory birds. This legislative move follows a widely supported decision earlier this year when park authorities declined a visitor's suggestion to install more streetlights in Shenzhen Bay Park. Officials explained that brighter lighting could disrupt the resting and migration patterns of wintering birds.
Critical Stopover on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway
Located along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, Shenzhen serves as a major stopover and wintering ground for migratory birds. Nearly 100,000 birds visit Shenzhen Bay annually to rest, feed, or spend the winter.
According to Yang Qiong, a senior engineer at the Guangdong Neilingding-Futian National Nature Reserve, the mangrove wetlands in Futian alone have recorded more than 270 bird species, including over 60 under national protection.
Among the notable visitors is the endangered black-faced spoonbill, for which Shenzhen Bay is a crucial wintering habitat. A global census in 2026 recorded 341 black-faced spoonbills in Shenzhen Bay, accounting for 4.4% of the global population.
A flock of black-faced spoonbills flies over Shenzhen Bay, an important wintering ground for the endangered species.
Peak Migration Season and New Discoveries
The new rules coincide with the peak of the autumn migration season. Monitoring by the nature reserve and Shenzhen University indicates that tens of thousands of migratory birds have already arrived in the city. Notably, researchers have recorded the greater white-fronted goose, a nationally protected species, wintering in Shenzhen for the first time.
A History of Balancing Urban Development and Conservation
Shenzhen has a long history of adapting urban infrastructure to protect its mangroves. In the 1990s, the planned route of Binhai Boulevard was shifted more than 200 meters north to avoid the core mangrove area, and noise barriers were installed to shield birds from traffic.
In recent years, streetlights along Binhai Boulevard and Shenzhen Bay Park have been upgraded to warmer, less disruptive lighting. Brightness levels are adjusted at different times, and some lights are scheduled to switch off periodically.
Huang Zhenhui, a deputy to the Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress and chairman of the supervisory board of the Guangdong Lawyers Association, stated that the new legislation offers a potential model for other densely populated cities seeking to balance urban development with the protection of migratory bird habitats. The lighting provisions are part of the broader Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Regulations on Mangrove Wetland Protection, establishing a comprehensive legal framework for the city's mangrove ecosystems.