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

 

Possible Future Full Species

 

Endemic Sub-Species

Alpine Accentor

Besra

Black Bulbul

Black Drongo

Black-browed Barbet

Black-naped Monarch

Bronzed Drongo

Brown Bullfinch

Brown-eared Bulbul

Chinese Bamboo-Partridge

Collared Finchbill

Collared Scops-Owl

Collared Owlet

Crested Goshawk

Crested Serpent-Eagle

Eurasian Jay

Eurasian Nutcracker

Gray Treepie

Gray-cheeked Fulvetta

 Gray-headed Bullfinch

Green-backed Tit

Hwamei

Island Thrush

Lanyu’ Scops-Owl

Maroon Oriole

Mountain Scops-Owl

Oriental Skylark

Oriental Turtle-Dove

Pygmy Wren-Babbler

Ring-necked Pheasant

 Rusty Laughingthrush

Streak-breasted Scimitar-Babbler

Streak-throated Fulvetta

Vinaceous Rosefinch

Vinous-throated Parrotbill

Whistling Green-Pigeon

White-bellied Green-Pigeon

White-browed Bush-Robin

White-browed Shortwing

White-tailed Robin

White-throated Laughingthrush

Winter Wren

 

More Birds in Taiwan

Black-crowned Night Heron

Black-faced Spoonbill

Black-naped Oriole

Black-throated Tit

Black-winged Stilt

Chinese Crested Tern

Cinnamon Bittern

Common Kingfisher

Common Moorhen

Daurian Redstart

Fairy Pitta

Gray-chinned Minivet

Gray-faced Buzzard

Gray Heron

Greater Painted-Snipe

Ijima’s Leaf-Warbler

Japanese White-eye

Little Forktail

Malayan Night-heron

Red Collared-Dove

Spot-billed Duck

Spotted Dove

White-breasted Waterhen

Yellow Bittern

 

 

SPOTLIGHT ON TAIWAN “Endemic Subspecies of Taiwan birds—first impressions”, by N. J. Collar, from BirdingASIA No. 2, December 2004.  Presented with permission.  BirdingASIA is the bulletin of the Oriental Bird Club.  Please see our Links page for benefits of membership in the OBC.

 

 

Ijima’s Leaf-Warbler

Phylloscopus ijimae

Ijima’s Leaf-Warbler

Ijima’s Leaf-Warbler

Ijima’s Leaf-Warbler

Ijima’s Leaf-Warbler

            Ijima’s Leaf-Warbler Phylloscopus ijimae, (also called Ijima’s Warbler, Ijima’s Willow Warbler, Izu Leaf-Warbler) breeds on the Izu and Tokara islands in the southern Japanese Archipelago. The breeding islands are small; the breeding population is also small, estimated at 2,500 to 10,000.  This warbler qualifies as Vulnerable (BirdLife International) because of its small, declining and severely fragmented population resulting from loss of habitat (broad-leaved evergreen forest), potentially compounded by pesticide use.  Its wintering range is poorly understood; there are sparse records from Japan, Taiwan (1, Hualien County, March 1960; 2, Puli, Taichung County, December 1924; 2 in 2006; see below) and the Philippines. 

            Observers should watch for and report sightings of this bird, to contribute to better understanding of its seasonal movements.

            Description:  The breeding adult has a rather long orange bill with dark brown culmen; greenish-grey crown and nape; whitish broken eye ring; thin buff supercilium extending to the rear ear coverts; medium green upperparts; bright green wings and tail with obvious contrast between the green of the wing and brown primary coverts.  Underparts are white with greyish wash on the sides of the neck and flanks; yellowish undertail coverts.  Legs are pale.  The key to identification in the non-breeding season is the call; a loud, melodic “twee” very different from the distinctive metallic “dzik” of Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis and soft “phit phit” of the Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus.

            These photographs were taken by Liao Pen-Shing on April 9, 2006, at Yehliou, Taipei County.  Mr. Liao noted the presence of another Ijima’s Leaf-Warbler, for a few days, approximately September 23–25, 2006, also at Yehliou.  Yeliou Scenic Area, a known “migrant trap”, is a long, narrow spit of land extending from Taiwan’s northeast coast.

 

References:      BirdingASIA 2 (2004):  70–71.  Ijima’s Leaf Warbler, Richard Thomas, BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge CB3 0NA, UK.

                        BirdLife International (2003), Threatened birds of Asia:  the BirdLIfe International Red Data Book, Cambridge, UK.