Taiwan Endemic Species

According to Taipei Wild Bird Society, Taiwan has 17 endemic species. I spotted 12 and digiscoped 9 of them. I missed the Mikado Pheasant, Swinhoe's Pheasant, Taiwan Hill Patridge, Taiwan Hwamei and Taiwan Bush Warbler.

The digiscoped photos of Taiwan's endemic species are shown as follows:

Taiwan Blue Magpie (Urocissa caerulea) is a very fascinating and beautiful bird in Taiwan, it has all three colors of Taiwan's national flag, red, blue and white. It can be seen in Wulai and Yangmingshan.


Taiwan Barbet (Megalaima nuchalis) it is a beautiful bird with the most colorful face, known as 5-color bird in Chinese. I spotted it in Wulai.

Taiwan Whistling Thrush (Myophonus insularis) produces very sharp whistling call, easily heard the call in Wulai. I saw and digiscoped it in Taroko Youth Actvities Center.

Taiwan Whistling Thrush is the second species of whistling thrush that I had seen, the first species I saw was the Malaysia' Blue Whistling Trush at Cameron Highlands and Kek Lok Toong in Malaysia.



Steere's Liocichla (Liocichla steerii) is a must see bird in Taiwan, because it is a monotypic endemic species, and very beautiful birds. I spotted it in Hehuanshan and Alishan.


Taiwan Laughingthrush (Garrulax morrisonianus) is an endemic to upper montane forest of Taiwan, very colorful and beautiful birds, I saw it in Tashyueshan, Hehuanshan and Tataka National park.



Collared Bush-robin (Luscinia johnstoniae), is a monotypic species in Taiwan. It is very easy to see in Alishan, usually near to the stream or river.

Flamecrest (Regulus goodfellowi) is monotypic and restricted to the central mountains, I saw it in Tashyuenshan and Alishan. It is very hard to digiscope, because the bird is as small as the sunbird, very agile and hop very fast from one branch to another of the coniferous trees.



Taiwan Barwing (Actinodura morrisoniana), it is monotypic and endemic to montane forests of Taiwan, their feeding behaviour is exactly like the woodpecker or nuthacth, climbing up and down the tree trunk to search for food. I digiscoped it at Alishan, but only the back view of the bird.



Taiwan Bulbul (Pycnonotus taivanus) is closely resemble the Chinese Bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis) but has unbroken black cap to nape, it produces very sweet bird song. This bird species is declining mainly due to hybridization with Chinese Bulbul in natural overlap zone. I saw it in Taroko Youth Activities Center.


I also spotted a hybrid species of Taiwan/Chinese Bulbul, it looks like a Chinese Bulbul but with an orange spot on its bill base.



Seems like Hybrid Taiwan/Chinese Bulbul is the best bird icon to signify the unification of Taiwan and China. Bird also know how to live peacefully, why can't human with rich civilization?

Other endemic species which are not shown in this blog are the Yellow Tit, Taiwan Sibia, Taiwan Yuhina, Mikado Pheasant, Swinhoe's Pheasant, Taiwan Hill Patridge, Taiwan Hwamei and Taiwan Bush Warbler. I wish I could see and digiscope them in the future trip to Taiwan.

Ilha Formosa, Taiwan touches my heart!

** For your knowledge, based on Mark Brazil's bird guide, Taiwan has 24 endemic species. instead of 17. They are:
1. Taiwan Hill Patridge (Arborophila crudigularis)
2. Swinhoe's Pheasant (Lophura swinhoii)
3. Mikado Pheasant (Syrmaticus soemmerringii)
4. Taiwan Barbet (Megalaima nuchalis)
5. Taiwan Blue Magpie (Urocissa caerulea)
6. Yellow Tit (Parus holsti)
7. Taiwan Bulbul (Pycnonotus taivanus)
8. Taiwan Bush Warbler (Bradypterus alishanensis)
9. Black-Necklaced Scimitar Babbler (Pomatorhinus erythrocnemis)
10. Taiwan Scimitar Babbler (Pomatorhinus musicus)
11. Taiwan Wren-Babbler (Pnoepyga formosana)
12. Rufous-Crowned Laughingthrush (Garrulax ruficeps)
13. Rusty Laughingthrush (Garrulax poecilorhynchus)
14. Taiwan Hwamei (Garrulax taewanus)
15. White-whikered Laughingthrush (Garrulax morrisonianus)
16. Steere's Liocichla (Liocichla steerii)
17. Taiwan Barwing (Actinodura morrisoniana)
18. Taiwan Fulveta (Alcippe formosana)
19. Taiwan Sibia (Heterophasia auricularis)
20. Taiwan Yuhina (Yuhina brunneiceps)
21. Flamecrest (Regulus goodfellowi)
22. Taiwan Whistling Thrush (Myophonus insularis)
23. Taiwan Shortwing (Brachypteryx goodfellowi)
24. Collared Bush Robin (Lucinia johnstoniae)