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

Barred Buttonquail

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

Coal Tit

Crested Goshawk

Crested Serpent-Eagle

Eurasian Jay

Eurasian Nutcracker

Gray Treepie

Gray-cheeked Fulvetta

 Gray-headed Bullfinch

Green-backed Tit

House Swift

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

Striated Prinia

Varied Tit

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.

 

 

Rusty Laughingthrush

Garrulax poecilorhynchus

 

Proposed New Endemic Species

 

The Rusty Laughingthrush is dark rufous-brown above and on the breast, the head is finely barred blackish, the belly is dark gray, the vent white and the wings and tail are rufous.  The chin and cheek are black, and the brown eye is surrounded by a blue patch of bare skin.  The bill is blue at the base and yellow on the distal half. 

This medium-sized (28 cm) bird is shy, avoiding open spaces and preferring undergrowth at forest edges and the understory of broadleaved mountain forests.  It feeds on insects, berries and fruit which it finds on or near the ground, and is usually seen in pairs or small groups.  It is an uncommon resident in the lower mountains of Taiwan at 600-2100 m.

It has been suggested that the Taiwan subspecies of Rusty Laughingthrush is distinct enough to merit elevation to full species status (N. Collar, 2006).  It is proposed that the Taiwan form retain the original name, while the mainland form would be named Buffy Laughingthrush, G. berthemyi

 

References:  N. J. Collar, “A partial revision of the Asian babblers (Timaliidae)”,  FORKTAIL,  Journal of Asian Ornithology, No. 22, August 2006, pp. 85–112; 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