Birding in Taiwan

 

 

Birds in Taiwan

Endemic Species

Collared Bush-Robin

Flamecrest

Formosan Magpie

Formosan Whistling-Thrush

Mikado Pheasant

Steere's Liocichla

Styan's Bulbul

Swinhoe's Pheasant

Taiwan Barwing

Taiwan Bush-Warbler

Taiwan Partridge

Taiwan Yuhina

White-eared Sibia

White-whiskered Laughingthrush

Yellow Tit

 

Endemic Sub-Species

Alpine Accentor

Black-browed Barbet

Black-naped Monarch

Black Bulbul

Black Drongo

Bronzed Drongo

Brown-eared Bulbul

Chinese Bamboo-Partridge

Collared Finchbill

Collared Scops-Owl

Crested Goshawk

Crested Serpent-Eagle

Eurasian Jay

Eurasian Nutcracker

Gray Treepie

Hwamei

Island Thrush

Lanyu’ Scops-Owl

Oriental Skylark

Oriental Turtle-Dove

Pygmy Wren-Babbler

Ring-necked Pheasant

Streak-breasted Scimitar-Babbler

Vinaceous Rosefinch

Whistling Green-Pigeon

White-bellied Green-Pigeon

White-browed Shortwing

Winter Wren

 

More Birds in Taiwan

Black-faced Spoonbill

Black-naped Oriole

Black-throated Tit

Black-winged Stilt

Chinese Crested Tern

Common Kingfisher

Common Moorhen

Daurian Redstart

Fairy Pitta

Gray-chinned Minivet

Gray-faced Buzzard

Gray Heron

Greater Painted-Snipe

Japanese White-eye

Little Forktail

Malayan Night-heron

Red Collared-Dove

Spotted Dove

White-breasted Waterhen

 

Gray Treepie

Dendrocitta formosae formosae

Endemic subspecies

 

The Gray Treepie is a large (34-38 cm) member of the crow family with a very long,

graduated tail.  In the Taiwan subspecies the basal third of the centre of the tail is gray (black in mainland subspecies), the rest of the tail is black, and the rump is whitish-gray (white on mainland).  The face is blackish, the head, neck and upper breast are gray, the mantle is brown, the belly is white and the vent rufous.  The wings are black with a small white patch at the base of the primaries, and the bill and legs are also black.  Sexes are alike.

 

The Gray Treepie usually travels in small groups and is active in the mid to upper levels of forests.  It is omnivorous, feeding on any small animals which it can catch, such as reptiles, amphibians and young birds, and also eats insects and fruits.  The Gray Treepie is quite noisy, making a variety of harsh clucking notes as well as musical notes and alarm chatter. 

 

Like most members of its family, the Gray Treepie builds a platform-like nest of twigs lined with finer material, placed in a tree.  Usually three or four eggs are laid, and both sexes share parental duties.  In Taiwan the Gray Treepie is a common resident from the plains to mid-elevation broadleaved forests.  It is often found in mixed-species flocks with other birds, especially the Formosan Magpie.

 

 

References:  A Field Guide to the Birds of China  (Mackinnon and Phillipps); 100 Common Birds of Taiwan (Wild Bird Society of Taipei); N. J. Collar, “Endemic subspecies of Taiwan birds—first impressions”, in Birding ASIA, Number 2, December 2004