Birding in Taiwan

 

 

Birds in Taiwan

Endemic Species

Black-necklaced Scimitar Babbler

Buffy Laughingthrush

Collared Bush-Robin

Flamecrest

Formosan Magpie

Formosan Whistling-Thrush

Mikado Pheasant

Rufous-crowned Laughingthrush

Steere's Liocichla

Styan's Bulbul

Swinhoe's Pheasant

Taiwan Barwing

Taiwan Bush-Warbler

Taiwan Fulvetta

Taiwan Hwamei

Taiwan Partridge

Taiwan Scimitar Babbler

Taiwan Wren Babbler

Taiwan Yuhina

White-eared Sibia

White-whiskered Laughingthrush

Yellow Tit

 

Endemic Sub-Species

Alpine Accentor

Besra

Black-browed Barbet

Black-naped Monarch

Black Bulbul

Black Drongo

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-cheeked Fulvetta

Gray Treepie

 Grey-headed Bullfinch

Green-backed Tit

Hwamei

Island Thrush

Lanyu’ Scops-Owl

Mountain 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 Bush-Robin

White-browed Shortwing

White-tailed Robin

Winter Wren

Vinous-throated Parrotbill

 

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

Spot-billed Duck

Spotted Dove

White-breasted Waterhen

 

 

 

Brown Bullfinch

Pyrrhula nipalensis uchidai

Endemic subspecies

 

The Brown Bullfinch is a small (16.5 cm) bird with a grayish brown back, head, nape and breast.  The centre of the belly and the undertail coverts are white.  The wings are black with a grayish brown bar, and the tail is black and deeply notched. In flight, the white rump is conspicuous.  The forehead, lores, and the edge of the chin bordering the bill are blackish, the dark colour extending diffusely to surround the eye, and contrasting with a white cheek.  The short but thick bill is dark grayish.  In the Taiwan subspecies uchidai, the shafts of the central tail feathers are white, though this is not usually visible in the field.

The Brown Bullfinch feeds mainly on the seeds and cones of native conifers.  It is usually found in pairs or small groups. Its flight is swift and undulating, and it often perches in tree tops.  However, it also forages in the lower branches and closer to the ground.  Its two-syllabled call has been described as “per-lee” or “pi-piu”.  In Taiwan the Brown Bullfinch is a common year-round resident of sub-alpine forests in mountainous areas from 1300-2400 m, and descends to lower elevations in the winter.

 

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