Endemic birds of Taiwan

This article is one of a series providing information about endemism among birds in the World's various zoogeographic zones. For an overview of this subject see Endemism in birds.

Patterns of endemism

Endemic Bird Areas

Birdlife International has defined the whole of Taiwan as an Endemic Bird Area (EBA 149).

In addition, the island of Lanyu (or Orchid Island), c.75km off the south-east coast of Taiwan has been designated as a secondary area, as two restricted-range species (Whistling Green-pigeon and Elegant Scops-owl) occur there.

List of species

The following is a list of species endemic to Taiwan:

* Taiwan Partridge
* Swinhoe's Pheasant
* Mikado Pheasant
* Styan's Bulbul
* Taiwan Whistling-thrush
* Collared Bush-robin
* White-whiskered Laughingthrush
* Steere's Liocichla
* Taiwan Barwing
* White-eared Sibia
* Taiwan Yuhina
* Taiwan Bush-warbler
* Flamecrest
* Yellow Tit
* Taiwan Magpie

Also, Whistling Green Pigeon, although not endemic to Taiwan is a restricted-range species.

In addition the following ten subspecies may be better treated as full species, according to Collar (2004):

* Chinese Bamboo Partridge "Bambusicola thoracicus sonorivox"
* Black-browed Barbet "Megalaima oorti nuchalis"
* Island Thrush "Turdus poliocephalus niveiceps"
* White-browed Shortwing "Brachypteryx montana goodfellowi"
* Brownish-flanked Bush Warbler "Cettia fortipes robustipes"
* White-throated Laughingthrush "Garrulax albogularis ruficeps"
* Rusty Laughingthrush "Garrulax poecilorhynchus poecilorhynchus"
* Hwamei "Garrulax canorus taewanus"
* Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler "Pomatorhinus erythrogenys erythrocnemis"
* Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler "Pomatorhinus ruficollis musicus"

References

Collar, N.J. (2004), Endemic Subspecies of Taiwan birds — first impressions, BirdingASIA No. 2, December 2004.

External links

* http://www.birdingintaiwan.com/