Birds in Taiwan

Endemic Species

Collared Bush-Robin

Flamecrest

Formosan Magpie

Formosan Whistling-Thrush

Mikado Pheasant

Steere's Liocichla

Swinhoe's Pheasant

Taiwan Bush-Warbler

Taiwan Partridge

Taiwan Yuhina

White-eared Sibia

White-whiskered Laughingthrush

Yellow Tit

Endemic Sub-Species

Black-browed Barbet

Vinaceous Rosefinch

More Birds in Taiwan

Chinese Crested Tern

Japanese White-eye

Fairy Pitta

Black-faced Spoonbill

Taiwan Bush-Warbler

Bradypterus alishanensis

Endemic

            A medium-sized, dark brown bush warbler with short, round wings and a longish, broad, graduated tail.  Entire upperparts, including head, olive-brown with a rufous tinge; tail more olive.  Indistinct and narrow buffy supercilium.  Chin and throat white, streaked with black; the rest of the underparts white, washed gray on sides of neck and olive-brown on sides of breast and belly.  Flight feathers and tail marginally darker brown than rest of upperparts.  Whitish tips of undertail coverts give scaly appearance.  Sexes similar.  Iris, brown.  Bill, black above, pinkish below.  Legs; pink.

            Confined to central mountains at 500 – 3,000 m where it is common in cold-temperate bamboo thickets and temperate coniferous forest edges.

            Inhabits low scrub, weeds and thick grass in mountain regions.  Found mostly singly or in pairs.  Mostly ground-dwelling; keeps low in dense scrub.  Song, ti-ti-teer, ti-ti-teer, ti-ti-teer… is repeated seemingly endlessly.  Skulking and very elusive, but once found is very approachable.  Food is mainly insects.  Breeding season is from May to July.  Nest usually placed in tall grass.  Clutch size: 2 eggs.

            Common in suitable habitat but easily overlooked when not singing.

References:  Endemic Species of Taiwan, compiled by Greenland Ecology Conservation Association of R.O.C.

                       The Auk, Vol. 117, 2 (2000): 279-289