Red-throated Thrush (1)

Turdus ruficollis

jimmyhu

Taiwan

Details: male, adult, winter plummage, outside normal range

This is a rare visitor for Taiwan from Siberian. A pretty thrush with a head of pale thrush, usual throat and breast of red/brown feather and white belly. This lone bird was photoed in Jinshan, a coast town in Northeast part of Taiwan. Many migratory birds passing through this part of Taiwan in the early winter.

Date uploaded: Dec 2 2015

Striated Prinia (1)

Prinia crinigera

jimmyhu

Taiwan

Date taken: May 2 2015

Details: summer plummage

This is the third species of reed warbler in Taiwan but it is usually common. I only saw this bird in limited times. Usually occurs in medium attitude hills except the northern shoreline area where I was resided. Like other reed warblers, it is a very active birds.

Date uploaded: Nov 26 2015

Yellow-bellied Prinia (1)

Prinia flaviventris

jimmyhu

Taiwan

Date taken: Mar 30 2015

Details: adult, winter plummage

This is the other common reed warbler in Taiwan. It is always staying among the weeds, very active and giving out pretty melody. This species had a black beaks whereas the plain prinia had a light beaks and turned into black during the breeding.

Date uploaded: Nov 26 2015

Plain Prinia (1)

Prinia inornata

jimmyhu

Taiwan

Date taken: Dec 23 2014

Details: adult

This is one of two common reed warblers in Taiwan. Easy to find in the weeds, especially during the period bearing the seeds. Sometimes this species perching on the wires or poles but most time stays low near the ground among the reeds. The similar species, yellow-bellied prinia had their head feathers in darker color.

Date uploaded: Nov 26 2015

Blue Rock Thrush (2)

Monticola solitarius

jimmyhu

Taiwan

Details: male, adult, winter plummage

This is one of the common thrush along the water edge of Taiwan. There are 2 subspecies in Taiwan, the blue bellied and brown bullied (this one). At a certain angle of sun, this bird can be very soft pretty blue and brown coloured. I had photoed this bird amny occasions because it is stationary on the ground, water edge,pooles and trees.

Date uploaded: Nov 20 2015

Red-flanked Bluetail (5)

Tarsiger cyanurus

jimmyhu

Taiwan

Details: female, adult, winter plummage

Female Red-flanked Bluetail is a migratory bird and showed up in Yeliu Geological Park which is a entrance point for the migration route to or through Taiwan. The male had a blue feather and I only managed a female. This bird is similar to Daurian redstart that dimorphism between male and female.

Date uploaded: Nov 20 2015

Siberian Crane (1)

Grus leucogeranus

(Critically endangered)

jimmyhu

Taiwan

  📍 Map

Details: adult, outside normal range

This is a local celebrity in Taiwan. A strained one year old Siberian crane came to the northern Taiwan and stayed there for a year and grow into adulthood. An endangered species with a healthy population in eastern Siberian area which had winter range in lower Yangtze river and rapid declined west Siberian area which had winter range in Iran and Pakistan. This bird came to Taiwan by unusual wind last December with light brown feather. Now, this bird displays courting dance in the morning but I reached there in the late afternoon. In the front, there is a cattle egret to compare the size. The local government and farmer took extra conservation effort to provide living area for this crane. Many tourist buses for nearby Yeliu Geological Park pass the local highway in order to see this crane. Siberian crane has black primary flying feather (not shown) and red beaks and legs, except black toes.

Date uploaded: Nov 20 2015

Bull-headed Shrike (1)

Lanius bucephalus

jimmyhu

Taiwan

Date taken: Feb 18 2015

Details: male, winter plummage

This is a relative rare kind of shrike in Taiwan. A brown head marks this shrike species. A migratory bird stays in Taiwan during winter months.

Date uploaded: Nov 4 2015

Brown Shrike (4)

Lanius cristatus

jimmyhu

Taiwan

Date taken: Apr 29 2013

Details: male, adult

This brown shrike is another shrike of Taiwan, a migrating bird from Northern Asia and appeared during the winter months in Taiwan. Many years ago, Taiwanese caught and cook this bird for food! However, this practice is prohibited now and Taiwanese loves conservation and respects the migratory birds very much.

Date uploaded: Nov 4 2015

Richard's Pipit (3)

Anthus richardi

jimmyhu

Taiwan

Date taken: Oct 26 2015

Details: adult, winter plummage

I spotted this bird on an open field and right way knew a new species on hand. This Richard's pipit might migrate through Taiwan to the warmer area of south. I saw a a red-throated pipit in Taiwan before but this is a different pipit, larger and standing upright. This bird stayed at the same spot for a minute, so I could make several photos.

Date uploaded: Nov 4 2015