The island of Taiwan was shaped by the collisions of the Eurasian continental plate and the Pacific Ocean plate several million years ago. Powerful forces have created magnificent natural scenery.
Although small in area, Taiwan has a complex topography - ranging from high mountains and huge forests to rugged, varied plains and onrushing streams and rivers - giving the island many small, localized ecological environments.
Taiwan's marine ecology, with coral reefs and a variety of marine life, enriches the natural beauty of the island. In addition, despite being located in the subtropics, Taiwan boats a wide range of altitudes endowing it with multifarious climates - tropical, subtropical, temperate, and even frigid. Lastly, deep oceanic influences - such as high humidity and plentiful amounts of rain - give Taiwan an abundance of flourishing, diverse vegetation, which consequently contributes to the island's bountiful and complex biological species.
Approximately 500 bird species have been recorded in Taiwan, of which about 150 species are resident. They include 15 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) and 69 endemic subspecies. For its area, Taiwan has a very high proportion of endemic species and subspecies.
Text from Birding in Taiwan
Swinhoe's Pheasant © Dusan M Brinkhuizen
Showing the 38 Most Recent Trip Reports Posted
Taiwan, 9th - 12th March 2001, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 19, 2004)
Taiwan, 27th - 30th July 2001, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 19, 2004)
Taiwan, 5th - 8th October 2000, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 19, 2004)
Taiwan, January 15th and 30th - 4th February 2003, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 19, 2004)
Taiwan, 20th - 28th March 2003, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 19, 2004)
Taiwan November 2003, author Surfbirds Admin (link created September 19, 2004)
Taiwan, 10th - 19th November 2003, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 19, 2004)
Taiwan and Fairy Pitta, May 2004, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 19, 2004)
Matsu Islands (Chinese Crested Tern), Taiwan, 2nd - 4th July 2004, author Surfbirds Admin (added September 19, 2004)
Birding in Taiwan, May 1 - 14, 2006, author Jo Ann MacKenzie (added September 14, 2006)
Taiwan - September 8-10, 2012, author Charles Harper (added September 13, 2012)
(Taiwan, Mikado Pheasant, Swinhoe's Pheasant)
Northern Taiwan 25th September to 2nd October 2005, author Alan Miller (added October 17, 2005)
(A beautiful country with outstanding scenery and friendly people. Five days in northern Taiwan produced a list of 114 species including 12 endemic species and 30 endemic sub-species.)
Birding Taiwan - 1st - 8th November 2004, author Simon Tonge (added November 18, 2004)
(Taiwan endemics; Black-faced Spoonbill)
Lanyu (Orchid) Island, Taiwan, May 12th–14th, 2005, author Jo Ann MacKenzie (added November 10, 2005)
Taiwan - Endemics and Spoonbills - 09-31 Dec 2006, author Paul French (added May 5, 2007)
(Taiwan, endemics, Swinhoe's Pheasant, Mikado Pheasant, Taiwan Partridge, Styan's Bulbul, Collared Bush Robin, White-whiskered Laughingthrush, Steere's Liocichla, Taiwan Barwing, White-eared Sibia, Taiwan Yuhina, Yellow Tit, Taiwan Blue Magpie, Island Thru)
Taiwan; Anmashan, Huisun Forest Reserve, Wushe area, Tsengwen Estuary, Longluan Lake and Yushan National Park. April 2011, author Birding2asia (link created May 24, 2011)
(No need to compromise. Photo opportunities on this trip were such great that only the very best of my shots taken on the trip made it on the main report page but of course as usual there’s many more pictures to enjoy in the trip list...)
Taiwan - Endemics quest - April 2010, author Stijn De Win (link created May 19, 2010)
(Trip report loaded with photos incl. both Pheasants, Taiwan Barwing, Taiwan Scimitar Babbler...)
Taiwan - 12th - 28th March 2011, author Andrew Roadhouse (added May 18, 2011)
(All endemic species and most endemic races without the use of guides)
Taiwan - April 14 - April 28, 2019, author Greg Roberts (added May 16, 2019)
(Mountains of Dasyueshan, Lanyu Island, Huben and other key sites. All endemic species seen.)
Birding Taiwan and Remote China (Sichuan and Tibet) - 15th May - 3rd June 2013, author Chris Lotz, Birding Ecotours (link created March 8, 2014)
Taiwan, November 7th - 19th 2006, author Jo Ann MacKenzie (added March 25, 2007)
(Dasyueshan, Anmashan, Blue Gate Trails, Hehuanshan, Lanyu Island, Alishan, Chiku, Black-faced Spoonbill, Taiwan Partridge, Swinhoe's Pheasant, Mikado Pheasant, Styan's Bulbul, Flamecrest, Formosan Whistling-Thrush, Collared Bush-Robin, Taiwan Bush-Warbler)
Taiwan November 19th-30th, author Brian E. McKnight (added June 6, 2005)
(Fushan, Lanyang Estuary, Houhuanshan, Reiyenshi Trail, Wushe, Aowanta, Puli, Tsengwen Estuary, Kuantien, Ken-ting, Hsin-cheng, Yehliu)
Taiwan - February 2008, author Joseph A. Verica (added June 22, 2008)
(Kaohsiung County, Cigu Esturary, Taroko, Jhiben)
Taiwan: A Birder's Paradise May 16-30 2008, author Low Bing Wen Albert (added June 12, 2008)
(All 23 Endemics, Fairy Pitta)
Taiwan - April 2009, author Stijn De Win (link created June 1, 2009)
(Report with photos of 25 species taken on the trip incl. Swinhoe's Pheasant, Taiwan Bush Warbler, Taiwan Hwamei, Vinaceous Rosefinch, Taiwan Blue Magpie and Black-faced Spoonbills.)
Taiwan and the Philippines - 23rd May - 13th June 2008, author Andy Mears (link created July 5, 2008)
(Taiwan Partridge, Mikado Pheasant, Philippine Eagle)
Taiwan, May 8–20, 2007, author Jo Ann MacKenzie (added July 27, 2007)
(Huisun, Chingjing, Tienshiang, Taroko, Chihpen, Lanyu Island, Kenting, Alishan, Formosan Magpie, Formosan Whistling-Thrush, Taiwan Partridge, Swinhoe's Pheasant, Mikado Pheasant, Steere's Liochichla, Taiwan Yuhina, White-eared Sibia)
Taiwan - November 2012, author John van der Woude (link created January 5, 2013)
(al 24 endemics, 46 endemic subspecies)
Birding In Taiwan, November 7–16, 2005, author Jo Ann MacKenzie (added January 25, 2006)
Taiwan; Endemics April 2011, author Stijn De Win (link created February 5, 2012)
(Taiwan Partridge, Mountain Scops Owl, Flamecrest, Taiwan Bamboo Partridge, Pale Thrush… photos!)
Birding in Taiwan - November 8th - 17th 2004, author Jo Ann MacKenzie (added February 3, 2005)
(endemic Mikado and Swinhoe's Pheasant in the Meifeng area)
Taiwan 15th - 22nd January 2005, author Gruff Dodd (added February 23, 2005)
Taiwan; Endemics and Black-faced Spoonbills - November 2010, author Stijn De Win (link created December 25, 2010)
(Anmashan, Huisun, Wushe, Yushan, Tsengwen, Kenting. Report with plenty trip photos incl. both Pheasants.)
Taiwan - 15th - 22nd September 2012 , author Richard Rae (link created December 20, 2012)
(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)
Taiwan for Fairy Pitta - May 2nd - 11th 2005, author Jo Ann MacKenzie (added August 3, 2005)
(We saw 9 of the 15 endemic species)
Birding Taiwan - May 2019, author Sandra Harding (added August 12, 2019)
(Fairy Pitta, Lanyu Island, Taiwan Cupwing, Taiwan Barwing, Taiwan Hwamei, Swinhoe's Pheasant)
Taiwan: 07-21 June 2015, author Catherine McFadden (added August 12, 2015)
(all 28 endemic species, Fairy Pitta)
Taiwan - February 16 – April 3, 2008, author Sander Bot (added April 11, 2008)
(All endemics including Lanyu Island.)
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