Wild birds 'settle down' at Hoan Kiem Lake, gracefully gliding and hunting in front of visitors

During the changing seasons, Hoan Kiem Lake is not only vibrant with the colors of crape myrtle and royal poinciana flowers, but also more lively thanks to hundreds of wild birds flying in to roost. They are scattered across the large canopy trees around the lake area.

The bird population gathering here is quite diverse, most commonly night herons and waterbirds belonging to the heron family. They leisurely perch on branches stretching close to the lake’s surface to rest, preen, and build nests.

The abundant aquatic food source has turned the lake surface into an ideal hunting ground.

The flock of birds freely glides around Turtle Tower, continuously swooping down to the water’s surface to catch fish with remarkable agility and speed.

Early morning and late afternoon are usually the “golden hours” for the flock to forage. However, thanks to the abundant aquatic resources at Hoan Kiem Lake, locals and tourists can easily catch sight of them gliding and showing off their hunting skills at any time of the day.

The fearlessness of the wild birds surprises locals exercising and tourists strolling around the lake. They are not timid or scared away, but calmly perch on the branches as if ‘posing’ for everyone to admire.

Everyone excitedly lingers, using their phones to capture the beautiful rhythm of nature right in the city center.

Their bold presence next to solemn historical symbols like Turtle Tower or the vibrant red of the The Huc Bridge adds a fresh, lively vitality to the scenic landmark.

The appearance of the flock is clear evidence of the improvement in the capital’s environmental quality. According to experts, the relatively quiet space, lack of loud noises, and rich aquatic food source at Hoan Kiem Lake have attracted wild birds to naturally fly in and nest.