評論
打印
China
中國版塊
Birdwatching
觀鳥
Shout it from the rooftops
公開宣布
Why birders are a rare breed
為什么觀鳥者很少？
Among the capitals of big economies, Beijing enjoys a surprising distinction.
在各大經濟體的首都中，北京和其他首都有著很大的不同。
Despite its sometimes harsh weather and chronically polluted air, it hosts more species of birds than any other such city apart from Brasília.
盡管有時天氣惡劣，空氣也會受到污染，但這里的鳥類物種比巴西利亞以外的任何其他城市都多。
Remarkably, however, birdwatching remains uncommon.
不過，奇怪的是，觀鳥的人卻很少見。
In many countries, birders play an important role in spotting changes in bird populations and avian behaviour.
在許多國家，觀鳥者在發現鳥類種群和鳥類行為變化方面發揮著重要作用。
A British enthusiast in Beijing, Terry Townshend, has recently set up a means of doing so without needing to stand for hours outdoors.
一位在北京的英國鳥類愛好者特里·湯森最近創立了一種方法，可以不用在戶外站幾個小時也能觀鳥。
It involves a digital listening device, installed on the roof of a 15-storey building in northern Beijing.
他運用了一個數字監聽設備，安裝在北京北部一座15層大樓的屋頂上。
For several months until mid-November it recorded the night-time calls of migratory birds flying above.
在11月中旬之前的幾個月里，它記錄了夜間鳥類遷徙時在空中飛行的叫聲。
The sounds will be used to identify night-flying species, some of which are not commonly seen overhead by day.
這些聲音將被用來識別夜間飛行的物種，其中一些在白天是不常見的。
The technique has been used in America and Europe, but Mr Townshend thinks this is its first known application in Asia.
該技術已經在美洲和歐洲國家使用過，但在亞洲還是首次使用。
Such dedication is rare among amateurs.
這種奉獻敬業精神在業余愛好者中很少見。
China has little history of birdwatching.
中國幾乎沒有觀鳥歷史。
Only in the 19th century, led by Western ornithologists, did the scientific study of birds begin.
直到19世紀，在西方鳥類學家的影響下，才開始對鳥類進行科學研究。
Birdwatching as a pastime has emerged only in the past two decades, helped by rising incomes that have allowed people to buy spotting scopes, binoculars and cameras.
觀鳥作為一種消遣方式在近二十年才出現，這得益于人們收入的增加，人們可以購買瞄準鏡、雙筒望遠鏡和照相機。
In other countries, enthusiasts have played a big role in drawing public attention to human threats to birds.
在其他國家，鳥類愛好者在提醒公眾去注意人類對鳥類的威脅方面，扮演著重要角色。
Chinese officials sometimes pay attention to gentle recommendations about ways to improve the environment.
中國官方有時會注意有關改善環境的溫和建議。
But they frown on activism.
但不贊成太激進。
So harm caused to birds or their habitats can go unremarked.
因此，對鳥類或其棲息地造成的傷害可能不容易注意到。
One British birder laments the recent draining of supposedly protected paddies by the Wenyu, a river in Beijing that had been a place of rest for about 200 migratory species.
北京的溫榆河最近排干了水田，這里曾是大約200種遷徙物種的棲息之地，對此一位英國觀鳥者表示惋惜。
Birdwatching groups in China mostly avoid campaigning.
中國的觀鳥團體大多不太參加各種宣傳活動。
Many of their members stick to taking photographs and do not even bother with binoculars.
他們的許多成員只是拍拍照，甚至都不用望遠鏡。
There is, however, a small but growing number of local birders who closely monitor bird migration.
不過，有數量不多但一直增加的當地觀鳥者在密切監視鳥類的遷徙。
Mr Townshend's listening device may provide other valuable insights.
湯森先生的監聽設備可能提供其他有價值的見解。
He plans to install more.
他計劃安裝更多設備。
