Birds of Taiwan

1.Formosan Blue Magpie
They are so beautiful with their blue feathers and their long segmented tails. In a family of Formosan Blue Magpies, everybody help each other in the breeding .
Because of such cooperative help, the adults have a chance at having a second nest the same year.Formosan Blue Magpies lay about 5 to 8 eggs in their nests, they hatch eggs 3 to 7 days.The Formosan Blue Magpie length of about 64 cm (25 inches). It is not easy to tell the male from the female. Formosan Blue Magpies are omnivorous; they eat snakes, birds, insects, fruit and even garbage.we can be seen around houses in mountainous regions or cultivated areas. If you want to see this extraordinary bird, we chances are best if you go to the mountains.
Although they seem to have adapted well to the lowland broadleaf forests, they are not commonly found there. A number of reasons for this have been suggested: Because of their large nests constructed from twigs at the forks of branches, their eggs are easy to find and steal (especially by people and cats). Farm chemicals, high power lines and automobiles all kill many of the birds. And finally there is the loss of habitat as the last tracts of lowland broadleaf forests are developed.

2.Mikado Pheasant
3,000 years ago a Chinese scholar described a black Sea Pheasant in the mountains of an island. 2,000 years ago, another Chinese scholar described the black Sea Pheasant as being aggressive. Since the Mikado Pheasant is the only black pheasant known in this part of the world, we can only conclude that the Chinese have known about this bird for millennia (although it was not described as a species until 1906).

The Mikado Pheasant prefers the mountain broadleaf, coniferous and mixed forests from 1,500 to 3,000 meters (5,000 to 10,000 feet). They are active mostly at dawn and at dusk. They eat the new leaves of plants, as well as fruits, seeds, insects and earthworms. They can be found in three protected areas: Taroko, Yushan, and Sheipa National Parks. Because of their beautiful feathers, the Mikado were hunted excessively. They are now protected by the Wildlife Conservation Law.

It has been observed that Mikados held in captivity interbreed with other types of pheasant in Europe. Some genetic problems have been described as a result of this interbreeding. So in order to protect the native gene pool, it is suggested that imported Mikados not be released into the wild.

3.Collared Owlet，Spotted Scops Owl
The Mountain Scops Owl and the Collared Owlet are two native little owls of Taiwan. Owls were not thought to be so wonderful in Chinese society traditionally. They were considered to be evil birds. According to legend, the young owls ate their own mothers when the mothers became too weak to provide them with enough food. The ancient Chinese encouraged people to eat them in order to get rid of these ungrateful birds.

The reason these two protected owls have become rare is not because people have been eating them, but rather because of a loss of habitat. It's the same reason that effects wildlife throughout the world. Both the Collared Owlet and the Mountain Scops Owl live in evergreen or mixed deciduous-evergreen forests from sea level to 2,300 meters (7,000 feet). This of course is the same land elevation that people cultivate. Many owls have also been killed by automobiles along country roads.

The Collared Owlet is the smallest owl in Taiwan. It is so cute it could be (and sometimes is) raised as pet. Its body length is only 15 cm (5 inches), yet it has been observed capturing a much larger White-eared Sibia (which is about 24 cm, 8 inches long). It is one of the more diurnal species of the genus and is often seen perching and hunting in broad daylight (although it is also active at twilight and at night).

Measuring in at 18 cm (6 inches), the Mountain Scops Owl is about an inch longer than the Collared Owlet. It is an eared owl with yellow eyes. Its plumage is a mix of grey and buff with intricate black markings. This provides them with excellent camouflage against tree bark when they are roosting. Owls mainly eat insects and other invertebrates. They also eat small lizards, frogs and small mammals.



Description of Male: Much darker than other species of the genus, being purplish-black overall. The tail and rump have narrow white bars, as do the wing coverts. The face wattles are bright red. The feet are dark blue. The male Mikado weighs about 1,100 g (2.5 pounds), and is a bit more than 3 feet long with its tail (97 cm). They aren't as timid as other pheasants. The males are known to kill other males and females when caged together. Except during the breeding season, they prefer to live alone.

Description of Female: Quite different from the males, the females are very similar to other pheasants and are often confused with Elliot's and Bar-tailed pheasants. The female is smaller than the male, weighing about 700 g (1.5 pounds) and being less than 2 feet (55 cm) in length. The tail is barred with brown, black and white. The Mikado hens breed their babies alone. Her clutch size is from 3 to 5 eggs, which are usually laid in mid April. The breeding period lasts for 28 days. About 2 months later, the young chicks start to explore their world. They leave their mother when they are about 6 months old.