In June 2015 I was invited by a Taiwanese colleague to spend a week visiting Dongsha Atoll, a remote coral reef in the South China Sea that’s a Taiwanese Marine National Park. Access to Dongsha is by a weekly charter flight out of Kaohsiung, the largest city in southern Taiwan. I was advised to leave a cushion of a few days in between our anticipated return to Kaohsiung and my flight home in case bad weather delayed our flight off Dongsha (a not-uncommon occurrence, especially during typhoon season). If the weather stayed good and we returned to Kaosiung when planned I would potentially be able to spend those cushion days birding in Taiwan, a country I had not visited before. Upon reflection, I decided I might as well guarantee myself some birding time rather than relying on good flying weather, so I also arranged to arrive in Taiwan a few days early. Based on current taxonomy, Taiwan is home to somewhere between 24 and 28 endemic species along with a large number of endemic sub-species, some of which may yet be considered for elevation to species status. Most of the endemics occur at high elevation in the mountains, however, at sites that are not easily accessible by public transportation. I quickly concluded that hiring a guide with a car would be the most feasible way to see the country’s birds in the limited amount of time available to me, and spent some time searching the internet for favorable recommendations. Not a lot of names popped up, but one that I did run across several times was Kuan-Chieh Hung (https://sites.google.com/site/kuanchiehhung/). I contacted him, and he was happy to arrange an itinerary that would include 3-1/2 days of birding in the mountains prior to my trip to Dongsha and an additional 3 days of clean-up birding at lowland sites upon my return the following week. KC has a master’s degree in avian ecology and currently works as a research assistant at Academica Sinica, the premier research university in Taiwan. He’s a very avid birder and e-bird aficianado, as well as an easy travel companion who speaks very good English. I really enjoyed the time I spent birding with him and can recommend him highly!
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. During the first leg of the trip we spent one night at the Firefly Hostel in the village of Guanghou, a reliable site for Taiwan Partridge and some of the low elevation endemics, and then spent two full days and nights in Dasyueshan National Forest Recreation Area. Virtually all of the high elevation endemics can be found along the 50 km road through this park. After my return from Dongsha we visited the village of Huben where Fairy Pittas breed, spent some time along the coast near Tainan, and finished up in Kenting National Park at the southernmost tip of Taiwan where the very localized endemic Styan’s Bulbul occurs.
The places we stayed were all quite basic and inexpensive, and in areas very convenient to the birding sites. KC had recently learned the art of the western-style picnic, and came prepared with a well-stocked cooler of familiar fare including sandwich bread, peanut butter, cold cuts, yogurt, Pringles, M&Ms—basically everything you could want for a day in the field! So we had picnic breakfasts and lunches while in the mountains where other options were few. At other times we ate at our lodgings or stopped at small local restaurants. Western food is generally not available at all (even the ubiquitous 7Elevens mostly sell ready-to-heat Taiwanese fare). But I really enjoyed the Taiwanese food – steamed dumplings stuffed with ground chicken or pork, delicious fresh seafood, very tasty veggie dishes made with ferns, bamboo shoots and other unfamiliar greens. Everything was very good, although I learned that it was often best to try something before asking what it was (“Fish skin? Really?”), or simply not to ask at all.
The birds of Taiwan are covered quite well in Mark Brazil’s “Birds of East Asia” (2009), and this is the field guide I took with me. While there, however, I purchased the latest addition of “A Field Guide to the Birds of Taiwan” (2014). This slightly more compact volume, published by the Wild Bird Society of Taipei, is written in Chinese, but the names of the birds and plumages (“nonbreeding”, “eclipse”, etc) are given in English. The plates are very nice and more accurate than Brazil’s, both for the endemics and for subspecies that occur in Taiwan. The range maps for the Taiwanese endemics are also quite detailed. If I return to Taiwan in the future, this is the guide I will carry with me in the field.
Sunday 07 June
I had flown overnight from Los Angeles direct to Taipei and from there on to Kaohsiung, arriving in at about 8 am. KC was waiting for me, and we immediately headed north on the motorway, driving for several hours before turning east and stopping for a picnic lunch near the start of the narrow, winding road into the Alishan mountains. From that point on we made several additional stops to bird the roadside as we wound up into the foothills, picking up Dusky and Gray-cheeked Fulvettas, Taiwan Barbet, Collared Finchbill, White-bellied Erpornis, Rufous-capped Babbler, Black-naped Monarch and Oriental Cuckoo. From a bridge over the river below Guanghou we spied a Taiwan Whistling-Thrush, a relief for KC who had been afraid that this was a species we could easily miss.
We arrived at the Firefly Hostel in Guanghou in mid-afternoon, and after a short break for a cup of locally grown oolong tea headed up the road behind the lodge into the Cattle Mountain cloud forest. This area has been preserved through the efforts of the Guanghou community who have recognized its value as an ecotourism site. The main attractions here are giant flying squirrels, which can be seen on night walks, and fireflies, which apparently put on an impressive light show in the spring. But for birders the draw is a feeding station that attracts the Taiwan Partridge, an endemic that is very difficult to see anywhere else. We now settled into the adjacent hide to wait, and it wasn’t long before a male Swinhoe’s Pheasant—easily one of the world’s most spectacular!—put in an appearance. After another short wait a group of four Taiwan Partridges arrived, lingered for a few minutes in front of the hide, and then faded back into the forest. Phew! Mission successful, we walked back down to the lodge in light rain, finding a Gray-capped Woodpecker and a White-tailed Robin on the way.
Monday 08 June
Before breakfast we drove a short distance back down the road towards Guanghou village to a wooded spot where the roadside birding was productive. Here we found both of the endemic Scimitar-Babblers (Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler and Black-necklaced Scimitar-Babbler) along with Rusty Laughingthrush, another species that is easy to miss on a short trip. We also picked up White-bellied Pigeon, Vivid Niltava, Striated Prinia, White-rumped Munia and Rufous-faced Warbler. Chinese Bamboo-Partridge—recognized by some as an endemic species, Taiwan Bamboo-Partridge—was calling nearby but not showing.
After a pleasant breakfast back at the hostel we packed up and headed for Dasyueshan Forest, ticking soaring Black Eagles, Crested Serpent-Eagles and Crested Goshawks along the road below Guanghou. We stopped for an early lunch at a dumpling shop in the last town before the start of the Dasyueshan Forest road, and then spent the afternoon slowly working our way up to about the 35K mark. The first part of this road passes through orchards along a river, and we stopped here for Taiwan Hwamei and Plain Flowerpecker, and to allow me to photograph the Black Drongos who build their nests on the powerlines over the road (not on the poles, but on the actual lines!). Along the river were Little Egrets, Black-crowned Night-Herons, Little Ringed Plovers and White Wagtails. The road enters good forest starting at about 15K, and from there on we pulled over periodically to listen for activity. Birds that became more and more common as we went up in elevation included Taiwan Yuhina, White-eared Sibia, Rufous-faced Warbler and Black-throated and Green-backed Tits. We also encountered small flocks of Steere’s Liocichlas and Rufous-crowned Laughingthrushes, Ferruginous Flycatcher, a number of Grey-chinned Minivets and Bronzed Drongos, and were delighted to run across a Yellow Tit, another endemic that can be a tricky one to find. Near the bridge at 32K we found several Taiwan Barwings and Eurasian Nuthatches, and at that point called it a day and headed back down, making one last stop along a side road for Brown Dipper. We spent the night at a very basic guesthouse located at about 14K. After dinner we drove down the road a short distance to look for owls. Several Collared Scops-Owls were calling, and one finally flew in close for good views. We also saw several Indian Giant Flying Squirrels, one of the three flying squirrel species that occurs in Taiwan.
Tuesday 09 June
A quick look around the vicinity of the guesthouse at sunrise turned up a Brownish-flanked Bush-Warbler before we headed back up the forest road. At 17K is a known stake-out site for Swinhoe’s Pheasants, where photographers put out feed despite prominent road signs displaying an international “Do Not Feed the Birds” symbol (accompanied by an equally widely-ignored “Do Not Use Tape Playback” symbol). Sure enough, as we came around a sharp bend there were four Swinhoe’s Pheasants standing in the road. We pulled to the side, and the male pheasant slowly ambled towards us, finally stopping several feet from the car — probably wondering where his breakfast was. Just before we reached the official park entrance and fee area KC heard what sounded like a Gray-headed Woodpecker calling and we quickly jumped out of the car — only to discover a photographer playing a tape. Throughout the day we would continue to hear Gray-headed Woodpecker as we repeatedly ran into the same guy, who told us he spends three days a week in the park photographing birds. While we were stopped, however, we picked up a singing Taiwan Bush-Warbler and Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, along with large flocks of Taiwan Yuhinas and Black-throated Tits.
At 47K is a stake-out and feeding site (posted with the same international “No” signs) for Mikado Pheasant, which was our number one target species today. KC had decided we would eat our picnic breakfast here, and had warned me it would be cold at this elevation at this hour. And it was. No Mikado Pheasants came by for breakfast, but other birds that were taking advantage of the birdfeed included White-whiskered Laughingthrushes, Collared Bush-Robins, and a lovely male Taiwan (Vinaceous) Rosefinch. Several Taiwan (White-browed) Shortwings were singing nearby but not showing themselves. We walked a short distance down the road to try for White-browed Robin but dipped on that species, too, settling instead for good looks at a Taiwan Cupwing. Eventually we drove on up to the end of the road at 50K and walked the short path to Sky Lake, a sacred Buddhist site. Along the way we found Taiwan Fulvettas and Yellowish-Bellied Bush-Warblers.
We returned to the Mikado Pheasant site for a picnic lunch, and decided we should stay there for as long as it took for the pheasant to show. We were joined by a handful of other equally hopeful birders and photographers, but the afternoon stretched on with no sign of pheasants. At about 3:30 pm we took a quick break to go use the restrooms at 50K, and while there scored a Eurasian Nutcracker and Gray-headed Bullfinch. We returned to the pheasant site just as a male Mikado Pheasant arrived to forage along the roadside (interestingly, not on the side where the birdfeed was being offered)! The bird stayed for quite some time and a traffic jam built up as passing cars stopped to disgorge yet more onlookers—by the time we left there was a group of about 20 admiring the completely unperturbed pheasant. We drove down the short distance to the Dasyueshan Visitor’s Center and complex of cabins where we would spend the night. After dinner at the restaurant there we slowly worked our way back up to 50K, spotlighting the roadside in the hope of finding Himalayan Owl. We struck out on that, but did see several Red-and-White Giant Flying Squirrels and Muntjac (Barking Deer) along the road.
Wednesday 10 June
A walk around the lodge grounds first thing in the morning was very quiet and unproductive. We then drove up to 50K and ate our picnic breakfast in the parking lot, where a pair of Flamecrests—one of only four species that remained on today’s target list—were foraging in a nearby pine tree. A short walk along Trail 230 and we had the other three target species in the bag: Golden Parrotbill, Taiwan (White-browed) Shortwing and White-browed Robin, plus the added bonus of another two Gray-headed Bullfinches. With all of the high elevation endemics accounted for by 9 am, we left to drive back to Kaohsiung. We made another quick stop among the orchards at the bottom of the road where we found a flock of Vinous-breasted Parrotbills, White-rumped Munia, Gray Treepies and another pair of Taiwan Hwamei. Yesterday KC had received a tip from one of the other birders at the Mikado Pheasant site that Taiwan Blue-Magpies were visiting a park near Wufeng, where they were being fed by photographers. Our early departure from Dasyueshan had left us enough time to make a detour to this site. Sure enough, we pulled up to the small park to see a couple of photographers with their lenses trained on fruit hanging from a pole, and almost immediately three Taiwan Blue-Magpies flew past at eye level. We jumped back in the car and made it to Kaohsiung by 4:30 pm, just in time for me to meet my Dongsha colleagues for dinner.
11-18 June
Dongsha Atoll Marine National Park (http://dongsha.cpami.gov.tw/en/) is a perfectly circular coral atoll, 25 km in diameter with a shallow interior lagoon. The only part of the atoll that is permanently above water (by a few meters!) is Dongsha Island, which is only 2 sq. km in area and U-shaped. One arm of the U is a concrete runway, just long enough to land a small commercial jet, and the top of the U is occupied by a Taiwanese Coast Guard base, National Park HQ, and the Dongsha Atoll Research Station. The arms of the U enclose a shallow, muddy lagoon. Those parts of the island that are not concrete are covered by dense, scrubby vegetation, with very few tall trees. Although Dongsha Island is just a tiny speck of land in the South China Sea (400 km SW of Taiwan), it sits in the middle of the East Asian flyway and attracts many birds during migration: over 250 species have been recorded on the island! But of course I was there at the time of year when diversity of migrants is lowest... On a number of days I birded for an hour or so in the early morning or evening (when temperatures were almost bearable), and recorded a grand total of 23 species during my stay. The majority of these were herons and egrets (8 species) that frequented the lagoon, and shorebirds, present in the lagoon and on the beaches in small numbers at this time of year. Ruddy Turnstones were the most numerous species, but Lesser and Greater Sand-Plovers, Black-bellied Plovers, Red-necked Stints, Gray-tailed Tattlers, Curlew Sandpiper, Bar-tailed Godwit and Whimbrel were all there in small numbers. The only full-time resident species on the island is White-breasted Waterhen, which I heard frequently but saw only once when one happened to run across a road. The only passerines I saw during the week were Barn Swallows and a wagtail with yellow underparts that was probably an Eastern Yellow Wagtail.
We had amazingly good weather all week, and were picked up and delivered back to Kaohsiung as scheduled on Thursday afternoon. During the week KC and I had been in e-mail contact as he planned an itinerary that would optimize our chances of finding the (very few) remaining endemic species, as well as some other Taiwanese specialties. Most notable among the latter is the rare Fairy Pitta that breeds in Taiwan and is virtually unknown from anywhere else in its range. We had done so well during the first leg of the trip there were only three endemics left to see: Styan’s Bulbul, Taiwan (Chinese) Bamboo-Partridge and Chestnut-bellied Tit, which some authorities have split from the more widespread Varied Tit.
Friday 19 June
KC and his friend Ang-Yu, who would drive for us on this leg of the trip, picked me up from my hotel in Kaohsiung at about 8 am. Our first stop of the morning was the Naiosong Wetlands Park in Kaohsiung, a small reserve and interpretive center run by the Kaohsiung Wildbird Society. We found plenty of Common Moorhens and Yellow Bitterns here as well as a Common Kingfisher, but not the Malayan Night-Herons that were rumored to be nesting in the park. Next we headed north to the coastal areas around Tainan and Chiayi, stopping first at Cigu Lagoons, site of the Black-faced Spoonbill Reserve. This rare species is normally only present in the winter, but juvenile spoonbills sometimes summer here and KC had heard that one had been seen fairly recently. He was also hopeful that we might run across a late-lingering Swinhoe’s Egret in the area. The lagoons and nearby fish ponds held breeding Kentish Plovers, Black-winged Stilts and Little Terns but try as we might we couldn’t turn any of the numerous Little and Great Egrets into either Swinhoe’s Egrets or spoonbills. A few Oriental Pratincoles and Oriental Skylarks were on the berms, and Gray-throated Martins were flying over the adjacent coastal heath.
We stopped for lunch at a roadside seafood bar, where a large and very tasty plate of fresh oysters cost the equivalent of $3 US, and then drove on to the Fairy Pitta Café in Huben where we would spend the night. This small and very basic establishment is run by a guy who worked as a research assistant on a study of the Fairy Pittas in Huben, and saw the opportunity for ecotourism here. We arrived in time for a 3 pm date with Mr. Chang, the local guide who keeps tabs on nesting Fairy Pittas. He first took us to a nearby site where he had seen a bird earlier in the day. A pair were calling but we couldn't see them, and the combination of oppressive heat and fierce mosquitoes made sitting quietly in the bushes quite a trial. We moved on to try a different territory but got no response there, perhaps because a large troop of Taiwan Macaques was hanging out in the area. So we topped up the bug repellent and returned to the first site, eventually managing to get a quick look at a Fairy Pitta as it hopped up onto a log, paused for several seconds, then flew out of sight. As a bonus, we also saw a pair of Taiwan (Chinese) Bamboo Partridges here. Mr. Chang then took us to a nearby temple to show us the nest of a Malayan Night-Heron. Three downy chicks were in the nest, but there was no sign of the parents. Eventually we gave up waiting for the adults to return, but as we got in the car to leave KC spied one of them on the ground in an orchard right beside the road.
After dinner we picked up Mr. Chang again to go looking for Mountain Scops-Owl. He directed us to a spot where we could immediately hear one calling from a dense stand of bamboo. All of my previous experiences with this species had ended in the same way: absolutely unable to see a calling bird that sounded like it could be no more than a few feet away. It looked like this encounter was going to be similar as we circled the bamboo without seeing a thing, but finally we found it – sitting right above our heads. Next we drove to the outskirts of a nearby town to try for Savanna Nightjar, a species that is partial to urban areas where it nests on flat, gravel-covered roofs. We could hear one calling near the local temple, whose roof was adorned with a very large, golden hand. There sat the nightjar, comfortably perched on Buddha's little finger! Unfortunately, it was too dark to get a photo.
Saturday June 20
Highlights of a brief pre-breakfast walk along the river in Huben were more Vinous-throated Parrotbills, Yellow-bellied Prinia and a Lesser Coucal. By 7 am we hit the road for the 2 hour drive to Basianshan Forest Recreation Area, a reliable site for one of our two remaining target endemics, the Chestnut-Bellied (Varied) Tit. After spending about an hour wandering around the parking lots and grounds of the Visitor’s Center we managed to locate two of them. There weren’t many other birds around – mostly Bronzed Drongos, a Gray-capped Woodpecker and a Eurasian Nuthatch. We left to start driving back south, and KC asked if I’d like to stop at the temple in Zhushan where a pair of Collared Scops-Owls roosts. He’d told me about this previously and it sounded intriguing, so we paid a brief visit. The temple was built about 15 years ago to replace one that was destroyed in an earthquake. Among its many elaborate decorations is a painted ceiling panel that depicts two owls. Local legend has it that shortly after this panel was completed a real pair of owls moved in, and has remained there ever since. Sure enough, among intricate gold-painted carvings on the temple’s ceiling sat two sleeping Collared Scops-Owls, each perched on the back of a miniature warrior!
From Zhushan we returned to the coastal area of Tainan to have another look for Swinhoe's Egrets. That quest was ultimately unsuccessful, but in open areas along the coast we picked up a Black-shouldered Kite as well as three introduced species: Azure-winged Magpie, Oriental Magpie-Robin and Chestnut-tailed Starling. In the late afternoon we continued our drive south to Kenting, Taiwan’s southernmost point, where we would search tomorrow for Styan’s Bulbul, the one endemic remaining to be seen. We stopped for dinner on the way and arrived there in the early evening, spending the night at a SCUBA diving center that also had a few guest rooms.
Sunday June 21
We picked up dumplings for breakfast and then headed out to drive small roads through the agricultural areas on the outskirts of Kenting. Styan's Bulbul proved to be quite common here, and the wheat fields were well populated with Zitting Cisticolas and Plain Prinias. We spent some time looking unsuccessfully for Watercock around some small ponds, but did run across a small flock of Eastern Spot-billed Ducks and a couple of White-breasted Waterhens. With no new species left to look for, we killed time for the rest of the morning visiting the Longluan Lake Visitor's Center and Kenting National Park, followed by lunch at a local seafood restaurant. We arrived back in Kaohsiung in the late afternoon with enough time left before I was due at the airport to make a stop at the Chouchai Wetlands Park, another small reserve in the city where there was rumored to be a Pheasant-tailed Jacana. We were unable to locate it, but did see another Malayan Night-Heron and a presumably wild Mandarin Duck. KC and Ang-Yu then dropped me at the airport at 5:30 pm for my evening flight to Taipei and on home to Los Angeles.
I ended the trip having seen a total of 140 species, including all 28 of the species currently considered to be endemic to Taiwan. Although earlier in the year when wintering migrants are present is a more popular time to visit Taiwan, it is certainly possible to see all of the endemic and breeding species—including Fairy Pitta—without difficulty in June. I was, however, very lucky to have clear, dry weather throughout my visit, something that is definitely not always guaranteed at the start of the summer typhoon season.
Complete Trip List (endemic species in bold)
BAS: Basianshan Forest Recreation Area
DAS: Dasyueshan Forest Road and Recreation Area
DON: Dongsha Atoll National Park
GUA: Guanghou area and Firefly Hostel
HUB: Huben Village
KAO: Kaohsiung (Naiosong and Chouchai Wetland Parks)
KEN: Kenting National Park and adjacent areas
TAI: Tainan coastal area and Cigu Lagoons
Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata): KAO (1)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos): KEN (5)
Eastern Spot-billed Duck (Anas zonorhyncha): KEN, 100+ at Longluan Lake
Taiwan Partridge (Arborophila crudigularis): GUA (4)
Chinese (Taiwan) Bamboo-Partridge (Bambusicola thoracicus sonorivox): HUB (2)
Swinhoe's Pheasant (Lophura swinhoii): GUA (2), DAS (4)
Mikado Pheasant (Syrmaticus mikado): DAS (1)
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis): TAI (10)
?Wedge-tailed Shearwater (Puffinus pacificus): DON (1)
Yellow Bittern (Ixobrychus sinensis): DON (4), KAO (5)
Gray Heron (Ardea cinerea): DON (1); KEN (3)
Great Egret (Ardea alba): DON (3), TAI (10)
Intermediate Egret (Mesophoyx intermedia): DON (15); a few at TAI , KAO, KEN
Little Egret (Egretta garzetta): common at all wetland areas
Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis): common in lowlands
Striated Heron (Butorides striata): DON (1)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax): 1-5 at most wetland areas
Malayan Night-Heron (Gorsachius melanolophus): HUB (2), KAO (1)
Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus): TAI (1)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus): KEN (1)
Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus caeruleus): TAI (1), KEN (1)
Oriental Honey-buzzard (Pernis ptilorhynchus): 1 near Wufeng
Crested Serpent-Eagle (Spilornis cheela): GUA (6), DAS (3), HUB (1), BAS (1)
Black Eagle (Ictinaetus malayensis): GUA (4)
Crested Goshawk (Accipiter trivirgatus): GUA (2)
White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus): DON (2), HUB (1), KEN (2)
Eurasian Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus): common at KAO, TAI, KEN
Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus): TAI
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola): DON (5)
Lesser Sand-Plover (Charadrius mongolus): DON (8)
Greater Sand-Plover (Charadrius leschenaultii): DON (2), TAI (13)
Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus): common at TAI
Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius): HUB (2), KAO (1)
Gray-tailed Tattler (Tringa brevipes): DON (4)
Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia): TAI (2)
Marsh Sandpiper (Tringa stagnatilis): DON (1)
Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus): DON (1)
Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica): DON (1)
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres): DON (25)
Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea): DON (1)
Red-necked Stint (Calidris ruficollis): DON (4)
Oriental Pratincole (Glareola maldivarum): TAI (2)
Little Tern (Sternula albifrons): common at TAI
Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica): DON (1)
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia): TAI (15)
Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida): TAI (10), KEN (2)
?Black-naped Tern (Sterna sumatrana): possibly 2 among Little Terns at TAI
Rock Pigeon (Columba livia): common in urban areas
Oriental Turtle-Dove (Streptopelia orientalis): KEN (1)
Red Collared-Dove (Streptopelia tranquebarica): common in lowland areas
Spotted Dove (Streptopelia chinensis): common everywhere except mountains
Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica): GUA (1)
White-bellied Pigeon (Treron sieboldii): GUA (2)
Oriental Cuckoo (Cuculus optatus): GUA (1), DAS (heard)
Lesser Coucal (Centropus bengalensis): TAI (1), HUB (1), KEN (1)
Mountain Scops-Owl (Otus spilocephalus): HUB (1)
Collared Scops-Owl (Otus lettia): DAS K15 (3), Zhushan temple (2)
Savanna Nightjar (Caprimulgus affinis): HUB (1, several heard)
House Swift (Apus nipalensis): a few seen at most sites
Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis): KAO (1)
Taiwan Barbet (Megalaima nuchalis): GUA (3), heard at other foothill sites
Gray-capped Woodpecker (Dendrocopos canicapillus): GUA (2), DAS K5 (1), BAS (1)
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus): DAS (1)
Fairy Pitta (Pitta nympha): HUB (1)
Gray-chinned Minivet (Pericrocotus solaris): GUA (2), DAS (6)
White-bellied Erpornis (Erpornis zantholeuca): GUA (4)
Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus): common in lowland urban areas
Bronzed Drongo (Dicrurus aeneus): GUA (1), DAS (6), HUB (1), BAS (4)
Black-naped Monarch (Hypothymis azurea): GUA (1), HUB (1), KAO (1)
Azure-winged Magpie (Cyanopica cyanus): TAI (5), introduced
Taiwan Blue-Magpie (Urocissa caerulea): 3 at park near Wufeng
Gray Treepie (Dendrocitta formosae): DAS (4), HUB (1), KEN (2), KAO (2)
Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica): TAI (1)
Eurasian Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes): DAS (5)
Large-billed Crow (Corvus macrorhynchos): DAS (6)
Oriental Skylark (Alauda gulgula): TAI (5), KEN (5)
Gray-throated Martin (Riparia chinensis): TAI (3)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica): common everywhere in lowlands
Pacific Swallow (Hirundo tahitica): common everywhere in lowlands
Striated Swallow (Cecropis striolata): common everywhere in lowlands
Asian House-Martin (Delichon dasypus): GUA (10), DAS (10+)
Varied (Chestnut-bellied) Tit (Poecile varius castaneoventris): BAS (2)
Coal Tit (Periparus ater): DAS (1)
Green-backed Tit (Parus monticolus): GUA (4), DAS (10)
Yellow Tit (Parus holsti): DAS (1)
Black-throated Tit (Aegithalos concinnus): DAS, common at high elevation
Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea): DAS (3), BAS (1)
Brown Dipper (Cinclus pallasii): DAS (1)
Collared Finchbill (Spizixos semitorques): GUA (6), HUB (5)
Styan's Bulbul (Pycnonotus taivanus): KEN, common
Light-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis): common at all lowland sites except KEN
Black Bulbul (Hypsipetes leucocephalus): common everywhere
Flamecrest (Regulus goodfellowi): DAS (2)
Taiwan Cupwing (Pnoepyga formosana): DAS (1)
Rufous-faced Warbler (Abroscopus albogularis): GUA (2), DAS (5)
Brownish-flanked Bush-Warbler (Horornis fortipes): DAS K15 (1)
Yellowish-bellied Bush-Warbler (Horornis acanthizoides): DAS (7)
Taiwan Bush-Warbler (Locustella alishanensis): DAS (5)
Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis): KEN, common in wheat fields
Striated Prinia (Prinia crinigera): GUA (1)
Yellow-bellied Prinia (Prinia flaviventris): HUB (1)
Plain Prinia (Prinia inornata): TAI (1), KEN (5)
Taiwan Fulvetta (Fulvetta formosana): DAS (10)
Vinous-throated Parrotbill (Sinosuthora webbiana): DAS K5 (5), HUB (3)
Golden Parrotbill (Suthora verreauxi): DAS (1)
Taiwan Yuhina (Yuhina brunneiceps): DAS, common at high elevation
Japanese White-eye (Zosterops japonicus): GUA (10), HUB (2), KAO (1)
Rufous-capped Babbler (Cyanoderma ruficeps): GUA (7), DAS (1)
Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler (Pomatorhinus musicus): GUA (2)
Black-necklaced Scimitar-Babbler (Megapomatorhinus erythrocnemis): GUA (1)
Dusky Fulvetta (Schoeniparus brunneus): GUA (1), HUB (1)
Gray-cheeked Fulvetta (Alcippe morrisonia): GUA (15), DAS (3), HUB (1)
Taiwan Hwamei (Garrulax taewanus): DAS K5 (3)
Rufous-crowned Laughingthrush (Ianthocincla ruficeps): DAS (24)
Rusty Laughingthrush (Ianthocincla poecilorhyncha): GUA (1)
White-whiskered Laughingthrush (Trochalopteron morrisonianum): DAS (15)
White-eared Sibia (Heterophasia auricularis): DAS (18)
Steere's Liocichla (Liocichla steerii): GUA (1), DAS (10)
Taiwan Barwing (Actinodura morrisoniana): DAS (3)
Ferruginous Flycatcher (Muscicapa ferruginea): DAS (3)
Oriental Magpie-Robin (Copsychus saularis): TAI (1), introduced
Vivid Niltava (Niltava vivida): GUA (1), DAS (4)
White-browed (Taiwan) Shortwing (Brachypteryx montana goodfellowi): DAS (1)
Taiwan Whistling-Thrush (Myophonus insularis): GUA (2), DAS (1)
White-tailed Robin (Cinclidium leucurum): GUA (2), DAS (3)
White-browed Bush-Robin (Tarsiger indicus): DAS (1)
Collared Bush-Robin (Tarsiger johnstoniae): DAS (6)
Plumbeous Redstart (Phoenicurus fuliginosus): GUA (1), DAS (2)
Javan Myna (Acridotheres javanicus): common in lowlands
Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis): common in lowlands, especially TAI
Chestnut-tailed Starling (Sturnia malabarica): TAI (2), introduced
Plain Flowerpecker (Dicaeum minullum): DAS K5 (1)
Fire-breasted Flowerpecker (Dicaeum ignipectus): DAS (1)
?Eastern Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla tschutschensis): DON (1)
White Wagtail (Motacilla alba): DAS K5 (1), HUB (3)
Gray-headed Bullfinch (Pyrrhula erythaca): DAS (3)
Vinaceous (Taiwan) Rosefinch (Carpodacus vinaceus formosanus): DAS (1)
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus): common at all lowland sites
White-rumped Munia (Lonchura striata): GUA (3), DAS K5 (4)
Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata): GUA (1), common around KEN
Mammals:
Indian Giant Flying Squirrel (Petaurista philippensis)
Red and White Giant Flying Squirrel (Petaurista alborufa)
Taiwan Macaque (Macaca cyclopis)
Reeve's Muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi)
Pallas's Squirrel (Callosciurus erythraeus)
Maritime Striped Squirrel (Tamiops maritimus)
Perny's Long-nosed Squirrel (Dremomys pernyi)
Sika Deer (Cervis nipon)