Republic of China

• June Hsieh

  | j_hsieh@ms16.url.com.tw

• Wayne Hsu

  | WayneHsu@birdlover.com

• Number of bird species: 670

• Number of bird species:

  National Bird: Taiwan Blue Magpie Urocissa caerulea

• Number of endemics: 28

  There are around seventy sub-species endemic to Taiwan, and authorities do not all agree on the number of endemic species with some elevating races to full status that others do not. However, the majority would agree that the following birds are endemic species:

  Taiwan Partridge Arborophila crudigularis, Taiwan Bamboo-partridge Bambusicola sonorivox, Mikado Pheasant Syrmaticus mikado, Swinhoe's Pheasant Lophura swinhoii, Taiwan Barbet Psilopogon nuchalis, Taiwan Blue Magpie Urocissa caerulea, Chestnut-bellied Tit Sittiparus castaneoventris, Yellow Tit Machlolophus holsti, Taiwan Cupwing Pnoepyga formosana, Taiwan Grasshopper-warbler Locustella alishanensis, Styan's Bulbul Pycnonotus taivanus, Taiwan Fulvetta Fulvetta formosana, Taiwan Yuhina Yuhina brunneiceps, Taiwan Scimitar-babbler Pomatorhinus musicus, Black-necklaced Scimitar-babbler Erythrogenys erythrocnemis, Taiwan Hwamei Garrulax taewanus, Rufous-crowned Laughingthrush Garrulax ruficeps, Rusty Laughingthrush Garrulax poecilorhynchus, White-whiskered Laughingthrush Trochalopteron morrisonianum, White-eared Sibia Heterophasia auricularis, Taiwan Liocichla Liocichla steerii, Taiwan Barwing Sibia morrisoniana, Taiwan Thrush Turdus niveiceps, Small Vivid Niltava Niltava vivida, Taiwan Shortwing Brachypteryx goodfellowi, Collared Bush-robin Tarsiger johnstoniae, Taiwan Whistling-thrush Myophonus insularis, Flamecrest Regulus goodfellowi, Taiwan Rosefinch Carpodacus formosanus,

• 100 Common Birds of Taiwan

  By Ping Du Lee | Wild Bird Society of Taipei | 2005 | Paperback | 84 pages, Colour Photos | ISBN: 9579875189 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• A Field Guide to the Birds of Taiwan

  By Mu-Chi Hsiao | Cheng-Lin Li - Illustrator | Translated by Jian-Long Wu | Wild Bird Society Of Taipei | 2018 | Paperback | 416 pages, ~190 plates with colour illustrations, colour distribution maps | ISBN: 9789860550191 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• A Photographic Guide to Birds of Taiwan

  By Victor Yu | Wild Bird Society Of Taipei | 2009 | Paperback | 330 pages, Col photos | ISBN: 9789868542501 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Birds of East Asia: Eastern China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Eastern Russia

  By Mark Brazil | Christopher Helm | 2009 | Paperback | 528 pages, 234 colour plates, colour distribution maps, b/w illustrations | ISBN: 9780713670400 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Birdwatching in Taiwan

  Edited By: Rui-De Shi | Wild Bird Society of Taipei | 2005 | Paperback | 380 pages, Colour Photos, maps | ISBN: 9579875197 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• The Birds of China: Including the Island of Taiwan

  by RM De Schauensee | Oxford University Press | 1984 | Hardback | 602 pages, 38 col plates | Covers 520 Species | ISBN: 0198586027 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• The Red List of Birds of Taiwan 2016

  By Ruey-Shing Lin, Ya-Jung Lu, Chie-Jen Ko, Tzu-Jung Tseng, Cheng-Hsiung Yang & Wan-Jyun Chen | Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute | 2016 | Paperback | ISBN: 9789860514063 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Taipei International Birdwatching Fair

  Webpage
  Taiwan has a wide variety of geographical features and is located on one of the world's eight major bird migratory routes, with rich and unique ecological resources. There are 642 species of birds, including 27 endemic species and 56 endemic subspecies, in Taiwan; in fact, about one fifteenth of bird species on earth can be observed in Taiwan.

• International Taiwan Birding Association

  Facebook
  International Taiwan Birding Association - Taiwan is a safe country, with good infrastructure, a strong conservation movement, classic mountain scenery, friendly people, wonderful food, and much to offer visitors…

• Kauhsiung Wild Bird Society

  Website
  In Chinese - E-mail: kwbs.bird@msa.hinet.net

• Wild Bird Society of Chang Hua

  Facebook Page
  E-mail: chwbs@ms18.hinet.net

• Wild Bird Society of Chiayi County

  Website
  In Chinese - E-mail: 21bird@pchome.com.tw

• Wild Bird Society of Hsinchu

  Website
  In Chinese - E-mail: bird.hsinchu@msa.hinet.net

• Wild Bird Society of Hualien

  Facebook Page
  E-mail: bird.h1@msa.hinet.net Call +886 3 833 9434

• Wild Bird Society of Keelung

  Website
  In Chinese - E-mail: keelung.bird@msa.hinet.net

• Wild Bird Society of Kinmen

  Website
  In Chinese - E-mail: hoopoeee@mail.km.edu.tw

• Wild Bird Society of Nantou

  Website
  In Chinese - E-mail: garrulax@ms24.hinet.net

• Wild Bird Society of Peng-hu

  Website
  In Chinese - E-mail: penghu@bird.org.tw

• Wild Bird Society of Tainan

  Website
  In Chinese - E-mail: tnbird@ksmail.seed.net.tw

• Wild Bird Society of Taipei

  Website
  The Wild Bird Society of Taipei (WBST) is a non-government organization of people who share common interests in the protection of wild birds and their habitats. The society was founded in 1973 with the name Taipei Wild Bird Watcher…

• Wild Bird Society of Yilan

  Website
  E-mail: wbsi@ms45.hinet.net

• Wild Bird Society of Yunlin

  Information
  E-mail: wbsyl.drongo@msa.hinet.net

Abbreviations Key

• NP Dongsha Atoll

  InformationSatellite View
  The marine park is located at Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands) in the South China Sea and includes the atolls and surrounding sea areas. The total area is 3,537 km², with 1.79 km² of land. The main part of the Park is the Dongsha Island (Pratas Island), a circular atoll 25 kilometres in diameter, with tropical monsoon climate. Seagrass Beds are well formed in the atoll and in adjacent waters, providing rich bio-diversities of marine life from fish, jelly fish, squids, sicklefin lemon sharks, rays to rarer sea turtles, Dugongs, and cetaceans (dolphins and whales). Recovery of green sea turtles has especially been noted. Possible use of the atoll as a breeding ground by lemon sharks have been speculated due to the numbers of infants have been discovered.

• NP Kenting

  InformationSatellite View
  Taiwan's oldest and southernmost national park, covering the southernmost area of the Taiwan island along Bashi Channel. Administered by the Executive Yuan's Ministry of the Interior, this national park is well known for its tropical climate and sunshine, scenic mountain and beach. he park hosts rich terrestrial biodiversity of fauna and flora including 15 species of mammals, 310 species of birds, 59 species of reptiles and amphibians, 21 species of freshwater fish, 216 species of butterflies, and various insects.

• NP Kinmen

  InformationSatellite View
  Due to its subtropical climate in its surrounding and low human population, the park becomes the place for migratory birds during autumn until spring. There has been 319 species of bird have been sighted in the area

• NP Shei-Pa

  InformationSatellite View
  High mountain ecology, geology, topography, rivers, creek valleys, rare animals and plants, and plentiful variety of forest types are some important resources for conservation.

• NP Taijiang

  InformationSatellite View
  The majority of the park is within the city of Tainan. In total, the park’s planned area stretches from the southern sea wall of Qingshan Fishing Harbor to the south bank of the Yanshui River and is mostly public coastal land.

• NP Taroko

  WebpageSatellite View
  It was named after the Taroko Gorge, the landmark gorge of the park carved by the Liwu River. The park spans Taichung Municipality, Nantou County, and Hualien County.

• NP The South Penghu Marine National Park

  InformationSatellite View
  Many species of migratory birds, such as terns, visit the islands. Small numbers of dolphins and smaller whales have recently returned to the waters while large baleen whales may still be in serious peril or became regionally extinct such as gray whales as the fossils discovered from here became the first records of the species from Taiwanese waters. There are coral reefs and many kinds of marine animals in the sea. 254 species of fish, including 28 newly discovered species, have been recorded. There are 154 species of coral. There are also aquatic plants. Part of the warm Kuroshio Current flows to Penghu, supporting the marine life

• NP Yangmingshan

  WebpageSatellite View
  The National Park is famous for its cherry blossoms, hot springs, sulfur deposits, fumaroles, venomous snakes, and hiking trails, including Taiwan's tallest dormant volcano, Seven Star Mountain. Mt. Datun is one of the most well known places to see some of the 168 species of butterflies in northern Taiwan. The best time to view the butterflies is from May to August. There are also 122 species of birds in the region.

• NP Yushan

  WebsiteSatellite View
  The park was named after the summit Yushan, the highest peak of the park. The park is home to a large variety of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and butterflies. Between the months of March and May, visitors have the chance to see processions of butterflies fluttering through mountain valleys.

• Taiwan's Parks

  WebsiteSatellite View
  There are six National Parks (N.P.) in Taiwan. All have different features as a National Park. Kenting NP, the first designated National Park in Taiwan, was established in 1984 and features its marine ecosystem and uplifted coral reefs. Yushan National Park was named after Taiwan's highest peak, and is famous for its mountainous terrain. Yangmingshan National Park is located in the northern part of the Capital city, Taipei. It is easily accessible and features a unique volcanic landscape and hot springs. Taroko National Park had been the most attractive tourist area in Taiwan even before it became a National Park. Its marble gorges and sheer cliffs are the most famous features which attract millions of tourists each year. Shei-Pa National Park was named after two high peaks, the Sheishan and Tapachienshan, or Mount Snow and Mount Great Bold Tip. Besides its high mountains, Shei-Pa N. P. has beautiful mountain streams. The sixth National Park, Jinman, was just announced in 1995. It was designated for its battlefields, beautiful countryside, and as important stopover sites for many migratory bird species. It is actually a military base of Taiwan off the southeastern coast of mainland China

• WPA Gaomei Wetlands

  InformationSatellite View
  Gaomei Wetlands is a flat land which spans over 300 hectares, but it is only about 10% of Dadu River wetlands.

• Wildlife Refuges in Taiwan

  WebsiteSatellite View
  Map & write-ups on a number of sanctuary areas

Click on WAND for tours, guides, lodges and more…

• Birding @ Taiwan

  Tour Operator
  An emerald on the western edge of the Pacific Ocean - Taiwan is a safe, friendly country not only with good infrastructure, fascinating culture and delicious food but also with a strong conservation movement.

• Birding Ecotours

  Tour Operator
  Taiwan has more than 200 mountains that soar above 3,000 meters in height, and its unique geology and topography have created breathtaking scenery and alluring coastal scenes. Geographically, Taiwan is situated at the point where the Asian continental shelf meets the vast Pacific Ocean, providing it with an unparalleled ecological diversity and a huge number of plant and animal species concentrated in a relatively small place, perfect for ecotourism.

• Birding In Taiwan

  Tour Operator
  Come with us to enjoy the birds and culture of Taiwan.

• Kaiyote Tours Birding Taiwan

  Tour Operator
  If you are a birder, in Taiwan you will find 27 endemic species, with over 650 species in total. If you are a nature lover, besides the beautiful birds, you will find wonderful forests, canyons, mountains, stunning coastlines, lots of butterflies, fantastic local people, many interesting mammals and great food!!

Click on WAND for tours, guides, lodges and more…

• 2008 [05 May] - Pete Morris

  Report
  …Our second recent tour to Taiwan was once again a great success. We recorded a very respectable 210 species which was very good given that we had shortened our itinerary and made our visit later meaning that many wintering birds had moved on…

• 2009 [03 March] - Jens Thalund

  Report
  While searching for air-fares for domestic flights in the Philippines, I noticed that a return flight to Taipei, Taiwan with Cebu Pacific was relatively inexpensive. I had wanted to visit the island for many years, and with the new field guide to Birds of East Asia just published, I didn't take much convincing, to spend a week birding in Taiwan…

• 2009 [06 June] - Douglas Futuyma

  Report
  …A biking-cum-walking track divides mangrove from reed (Phragmites) marsh. We returned via some rice fields where Painted Snipe is sometimes seen (but not by us). Highlights at Wulei: Brown Dipper, Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler, White-bellied Erpornis, and Taiwan Blue Magpie; at Guandu: Vinous-breasted Parrotbill…

• 2010 [04 April] - Stijn De Win

  Report
  … all in this first single afternoon; Taiwan Scimitar Babbler, Dusky Fulvetta, Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler, White-bellied Pigeon, rare in Taiwan Mountain Hawk Eagle, two Black Eagles, Taiwan Barbet, Scaly Thrush, Rufous-faced Warbler, Little Forktail, Rufous-crowned Laughingthrush and the Eurasian Nutcracker which on Taiwan, would be hard to call with the alternative name ‘Spotted’ Nutcracker…

• 2011 [03 March] - Andrew Roadhouse

  Report
  …We had our first Brown-headed Thrush of the trip feeding with Pale Thrushes and Sibias. Flamecrests were very common here and the views were superb with no low cloud for a change. We had a coffee and pot noodle in the visitor centre café and then started making plans for the rest of the trip….

• 2011 [05 May] - Gerry Hinchon

  Report PDF
  …we found that Great, Little and Cattle Egrets were common and we saw 25 Black-crowned Night Herons. Waders seen were 15 Black-winged Stilts, one Oriental Pratincole, two Pacific Golden Plovers, two Kentish Plovers, many Mongolian Sand-plovers, 40 Bar-tailed Godwits, ten Whimbrel, five Greenshanks, two Wood Sandpipers, ten Terek Sandpipers, ten Ruddy Turnstones, five Red Knot, one Dunlin and two Curlew Sandpipers….

• 2012 [09 September] - Richard Rae

  Report PDF
  …Among the numerous highlights were Swinhoe's Pheasant, Taiwan Wren-Babbler, Taiwan Shortwing, Taiwan Tit, Taiwan Partridge, Collared Bush-Robin, Golden Parrotbill, Flamecrest, Taiwan Blue Magpie, Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler and Malayan Night Heron…

• 2012 [11 November] - John van der Woude

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  …Black-faced Spoonbills ('only' 100) at their special reserve in the Tsengwen estuary near Tainan. Also 300 Caspian Terns, Kentish Plovers, Lesser Sand Plovers and a few Saunders Gulls on this mud flats. In the smaller wetlands around this mud flat area we had Grey-throated Martin (a colony), Slaty-breasted Rail, Scaly-breasted Munia, Red-Throated Pipit and (in a drier field) Long-tailed Shrike…

• 2013 [03 March] - Craig Brelsford

  Report
  Taiwan lies 130 km across the Taiwan Strait from Fujian. At 35,883 sq. km, Taiwan Island is a bit larger than Belgium and a bit smaller than the combined areas of Maryland and Delaware.

• 2013 [04 April] - Charley Hesse

  Report PDF
  …With fine weather at Dashueshan at the beginning of the tour, we accumulated endemics quickly, leaving us extra time to search for more difficult birds. Highlights were many and aside from the spectacular Mikado & Swinhoe’s Pheasants, we found the threatened Black-faced Spoonbill and Fairy Pitta, and enjoyed great views of attractive endemics like Taiwan Partridge, Flamecrest, Formosan Magpie and Formosan Whistling-Thrush as well as a full house of endemic laughingthrushes and scimitar-babblers…

• 2013 [06 June] - Peter Jordan

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  …Our first proper stop, not far up the Dasyueshan Road, had us on to Taiwan Barbet, Collared Finchbill, Taiwan Hwamei, Grey­capped Woodpecker, Plain Prinia, Yellow­bellied Prinia, Gray Treepie Taiwan Scimitar­babbler, Rufous­capped Babbler, Oriental Turtle Dove, Black Bulbul, and a swift species. Rubbish views of the noisy Bamboo Partridge. Golden­headed Cisticola heard…

• 2013 [11 November] - Keith Barnes

  PDF Report
  Photos (Superb)

• 2014 [11 November] - Niels Bomholt

  PDF Report
  Danish

• 2015 [03 March] - Keith Barnes - Japan, Taiwan and SE China in Winter

  Report PDF
  ...we managed to nail all of the coolest target birds in a very short period of time, including walk away views of Taiwan Partridge and both endemic pheasants; the remarkable Swinhoe’s and Mikado.

• 2015 [05 May] - Charley Hesse

  Report PDF
  ... with Osprey, Oriental Honey-buzzard, Crested Serpent-Eagle, Red Collared-Dove, theendemic Taiwan Blue-Magpie, Black Bulbul and Arctic Warbler. Just near the hotel, others saw therecently introduced Asian Glossy Starling.

• 2015 [05 May] - Henk Hendriks & Wiel Poelmans

  Report PDF
  ...We only used a local guide at Huben to find the Fairy Pitta and the rest of the trip we birded independently which was fine as there is plenty of available information.

• 2015 [06 June] - Cathy McFadden

  Report
  Because I would be based in Kaohsiung for the trip to Dongsha, we concentrated on birding the central and southern parts of the country. Although several endemics (Taiwan Blue-Magpie, Taiwan Whistling-Thrush) are apparently much easier to find in the north around Taipei, KC knew sites where (with luck, which was with us!) we could find them further south.

• 2016 [01 Jan] - Matthew Kwan

  Report
  ...around the 45K mark we suddenly saw a large shuttle bus stopped right in the middle of the road, we thought it was stalled so we tried to get past it, only when I was about to past the bus that we realise why they stopped. A pair of Mikado Pheasants were feeding right next to the road...

• 2016 [04 April] - Charley Hesse - Formosan Endemics

  PDF Report
  Taiwan is the hidden jewel of Asian birding and one of the most under-rated birding destinations in theworld. There are currently in impressive 25 endemics (and growing by the year), including some of the mostbeautiful birds in Asia, like Swinhoe’s & Mikado Pheasants and Taiwan Blue-Magpie. Again we had a cleansweep of Taiwan endemics seeing all species well, and we also found the vast majority of endemic subspecies.Some of these are surely set for species status, giving visiting birders potential ‘arm chair ticks’ for manyyears to come. We also saw other major targets, like Fairy Pitta, Black-faced Spoonbill and Himalayan Owl...

• 2016 [04 April] - Subhojit Chakladar

  PDF Report
  ...we had success in form of a small flock of Taiwan Barwings (endemic number 23). Within minutes, standing at the same spot, we encountered a small flock of Silverbacked Needletails and an Ashy Woodpigeon in flight. Buoyed by the success, we doubled our efforts in search of the 2 remaining laughingthurshes. Luckily at one stop with lots of fallen mossy logs, we came across a Taiwan Wren Babbler...

• 2016 [05 May] - James Eaton

  PDF Report
  ...Our first bird of Taiwan was a rather unexpected gift, as for the past 18 months a Siberian Crane has taken upresidence near the northernmost point of the island, and today it was stood, all on its lonesome once again. Itspent most the hour we watched it trying to either scratch its radio-collar, or use it’s bill to try and snap off theshiny new ring it was sporting, while calling occasionally – you couldn’t help feel sorry for the fellow. In thewetlands we also found Plain and ‘Chinese’ Yellow-bellied Prinias, migrant Black-faced Bunting and someridiculously tame Chinese Spot-billed Ducks...

• 2016 [06 June] - Glen Valentine

  PDF Report
  This year's spring tour of Taiwan was not only a verysuccessful one from a birding perspective - seeing a completehaul of the island's endemics, and almost fifty of its endemicsubspecies - it was also a thoroughly fun-filled one to boot.

• 2016 [08 August] - Ian Reid

  PDF Report
  Taiwan hosts quite nice array of 'gettable' endemics and other interesting species. I originally time - budgeted for 5 days but realised closer the time this was impossible to justify either domestically or workwise so shortened it considerably.

• 2017 [05 May] - Arjan Brenkman & Jan van der Laan

  PDF Report
  In 2017 we thought it was time for some comfort and good birds, so Taiwan was the place to go. Moreover, we learned that the Fairy Pitta population in the world was decreasing rapidly and Taiwan seems to be the best place for this species. Again, like in 2016, we went in the last week of April, a time good for endemics and Fairy Pitta.

• 2017 [06 June] - David & Sarah Blair

  PDF Report
  Taiwan not only has great avifauna but also a host of other winning points that make it a wonderful destination for a comfortable birding trip. With around 32endemics(depending on authority), and many endemic subspecies that could be splitin the next 10 yearstherewas a loadto look forward to.

• 2018 [06 June] - Sue Bryan

  Report
  An independent birding trip to Taiwan was proposed by our birding friend Nick Watmough to cover all the endemic birds during the half-term break. However due to personal reasons Nick had to drop out and John and I decided to go as neither of us had been to Taiwan before. We decided to organise the trip ourselves with the help of Richard Foster who booked some of the accommodation and a guide for the Fairy Pitta.

• Birds of Taiwan

  Website
  What's so great about a list of bird names? After all, the names that men give are just a pale reflection of the birds themselves. Well, bird-lovers may rejoice in biodiversity, but in matters linguistic they tend to use common or garden English as a lowest common denominator. So, in the interest of 'lingua-diversity', here it is: a list of bird species of Taiwan, with names in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese

• Central Taiwan Birder

  Website
  The Huben-Hushan area has been internationally identified as an IBA or Important Bird Area and is listed as one of Asia

• Endemic Birds of Taiwan

  Website
  There are 14 endemic species of birds on the island, accounting for about 9% of all resident birds. There are another 69 endemic subspecies, accounting for another 45% of the local resident population

• Wild Bird Society of Hualien

  BLOG

• Charles Lam

  Gallery
  Some great pics from his birding travells