Shenzhen is a key stopover on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway that hosts nearly 100,000 migratory birds each year. The city recently became China's first to enshrine "lights out for birds" in local legislation, with the relevant provision taking effect on Thursday.
Article 15 of the city's regulations on mangrove wetland protection requires authorities to optimize the layout and control of nighttime lighting in and around migratory bird habitats.
The move is the latest step in Shenzhen's decades-long effort to build a bird-friendly city. According to a report from online portal sznews, in 1994, Binhai Avenue was shifted more than 200 meters north to avoid the mangrove area, and buildings within 500 meters of the reserve were capped at 50 meters tall. Since 2023, areas around the mangroves have been designated a top-tier light-control zone, where lighting is directed only at roads and kept away from the night sky and roosting birds. In 2025, the city issued China's first local standards for bird-friendly urban planning and design.
Waterbird counts in Shenzhen Bay rose 24 percent year-on-year to more than 47,000 during the 2025-26 migratory season, while the number of bird species recorded in the restored mangroves grew from 92 to 167.
Sun Lili, co-founder and executive director of the Mangrove Conservation Foundation, said that from a human perspective, brighter is better, but that's not so for birds.
"This is not just a livelihood issue—it speaks to the ecological foundation of urban governance," Sun added.
The effort has drawn broad participation. In 2023, China's tech giant Tencent pasted 320 square meters of white dot stickers on its Shenzhen headquarters' glass facade to help birds avoid collisions.
