Red Knot, 5/15/2012

This is the first time I ever photograph a Red Knot. Most of the waterfowls I saw are gray and white in terms of plumage, dull and unattractive. It's not true this time. As I saw this Red Knot, I was amazed by its outstanding red plumage covering large area of its neck and breast. Finally there is one waterfowl that looks different.

Oddly enough, this Red Knot always hung around with two Great Knots. Why? Too lonely? For the entire day, I saw only one Red Knot in Watzuwei Nature Reserve area, Bali District, New Taipei City. After I went home and searched the web, I found that Red Knots are uncommon passage migrants here in Taiwan. No wonder they are lonely and like to hang around with other waterfowls.


Red Knot, photographed on 5/15/2012, at Watzuwei Nature Reserve area, Bali District, New Taipei City



Great Knots and Red Knot, photographed on 5/15/2012, at Watzuwei Nature Reserve area, Bali District, New Taipei City



Great Knots and Red Knot, photographed on 5/15/2012, at Watzuwei Nature Reserve area, Bali District, New Taipei City



Red Knot and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, photographed on 5/15/2012, at Watzuwei Nature Reserve area, Bali District, New Taipei City



Great Knots and Red Knot video recorded on 5/15/2012, at Watzuwei Nature Reserve area, Bali District, New Taipei City

Chinese name:	紅腹濱鷸
English name:	Red Knot
Nickname:
Scientific name:	Calidris canutus
Order:	Charadriiformes
Family:	Scolopacidae
Species status:	Species
Conservation status:	Least Concern.
Migration status:	Passage migrant in Taiwan
Frequency of appearance:	Uncommon in Taiwan
Foods:	Insects, mollusks
Habitat:	Wetlands, outlets of rivers, mudflats of sea shores
Altitude:	Low altitude
Behavior:	Often appear in flocks in mudflats of sea shores, wetlands, swamps and outlets of rivers, and mixed with other Scolopacidae and Charadriidae birds.
Characteristics:	General Characteristics: About 25 cm long. Bill is black. Feet are dark green. There are vertical black stripes from head top to rear neck. Back, wing and tail are mainly gray. The breeding plumage is light reddish brown on face, neck and belly, with some maroon and black spots on wings.
Breeding places:	Far north of Europe, Asia and America.
Migration destinations:	Wintering in southern Europe, Africa, southern Asia, Oceania, Australia, New Zealand, southern America.
Time photographed:	5/15/2012
Location found:	Bali District, New Taipei City
Sources:	Internet
Notes:

Great Knot, 5/15/2012

This time my target was Black-faced Spoonbills in Watzuwei Nature Reserve area at Bali District of New Taipei City, since one of my birdwatching buddies had taken pictures of over 20 Black-faced Spoonbills one day earlier. After one day of waiting and searching, no Black-faced Spoonbills appeared at all. Instead, lots of waterfowls in the Scolopacidae and Charadriidae families were spotted. Many of them, including the Great Knots, had never been photographed by me. The Great Knots are so big that they stood out in the flocks.

Great Knots are common passage migrants or uncommon winter migratory birds in Taiwan. It's very close to the end of Spring. All the Great Knots were busy eating and drinking, in building their strength before migrating long distance back to the freezing north Asia.


Great Knots, photographed on 5/15/2012, at Watzuwei Nature Reserve area, Bali District, New Taipei City



Great Knots, photographed on 5/15/2012, at Watzuwei Nature Reserve area, Bali District, New Taipei City



Great Knots and Red Knot, photographed on 5/15/2012, at Watzuwei Nature Reserve area, Bali District, New Taipei City



Great Knots and Red Knot, photographed on 5/15/2012, at Watzuwei Nature Reserve area, Bali District, New Taipei City



Great Knots and Red Knot video recorded on 5/15/2012, at Watzuwei Nature Reserve area, Bali District, New Taipei City

Chinese name:	大濱鷸
English name:	Great Knot
Nickname:
Scientific name:	Calidris tenuirostris
Order:	Charadriiformes
Family:	Scolopacidae
Species status:	Species
Conservation status:	Least Concern.
Migration status:	Common passage migrant or uncommon winter migratory bird in Taiwan
Frequency of appearance:	Common or uncommon in Taiwan
Foods:	Insects, mollusks
Habitat:	Wetlands, outlets of rivers, mudflats of sea shores
Altitude:	Low altitude
Behavior:	Often appear in flocks in mudflats of sea shores, wetlands, swamps and outlets of rivers, and mixed with other Scolopacidae and Charadriidae birds.
Characteristics:	General Characteristics: About 29 cm long. Plumage is mainly gray. Under part is white. Breast is covered with many blackish brown spots. Back, wing and tail are mainly gray, with some maroon and black spots during breeding seasons. Bill is black. Feet are grayish green.
Breeding places:	Russia, northern China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Middle East, etc.
Migration destinations:	Wintering in south Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, Australia, etc.
Time photographed:	5/15/2012
Location found:	Bali District, New Taipei City
Sources:	Internet
Notes:

Eastern Spot-billed Duck, 5/13/2012

On 5/13/2012, I went to Huajiang Wild Duck Nature Park, Taipei City, to photograh Lesser Sand Plover. To my surprise, two Spot-billed Ducks were there. Their size is so big I can spot them from far distance. Since it's late Spring, I was wondering why they were still here in Taiwan, not yet returning to their birth place. I used to take some pictures of Spot-billed Ducks from a great distance. This time they are closer, and the pictures are better. In Taiwan, Spot-billed Ducks are Winter migratory birds.








Video recorded on 5/13/2012, at Huajiang Wild Duck Nature Park, Taipei City



Video recorded on 1/14/2012, at Guandu, Taipei City

Chinese name:	花嘴鴨
English name:	Eastern Spot-billed Duck
Nickname:
Scientific name:	Anas zonorhyncha
Order:	Anseriformes
Family:	Anatidae
Species status:	Species
Conservation status:	Least Concern.
Migration status:	Winter migratory bird in Taiwan
Frequency of appearance:	Common in Taiwan
Foods:	Aquatics
Habitat:	Wetlands, lakes, swamps, bay areas, outlet of a river
Altitude:	Low altitude
Behavior:	Often appear in flocks in tidal flats, lakes, swamps, outlets of rivers and farm fields.
Characteristics:	General Characteristics: About 60 cm long. Plumage is mostly dark or light brown. Bill is black, with a small section of the front in yellow. Eyeline is dark brown. Eyebrow stripe is white. There is not much difference between males and females.
Breeding places:	Russia, Mongolia, northern China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, etc.
Migration destinations:	Wintering in Southeast Asia, Taiwan, etc.
Time photographed:	5/13/2012
Location found:	Huajiang Wild Duck Nature Park, Taipei City
Sources:	Internet
Notes:

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, 5/11/2012

Heard that a flock of Lesser Sand Plovers, which I've never photographed before, appeared in Huajiang Wild Duck Nature Park of Taipei City, I choosed a sunny day to photograph them. To my surprise, I didn't spot any Lesser Sand Plover as expected. Instead, I spotted large numbers of Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, which I've never photographed either. Maybe the birds are trying to make up for my loss of not spotting any Lesser Sand Plover. Thanks a lot!

Here in Taiwan, Sharp-tailed Sandpipers are also either commonly-seen passage migrants in autumn and spring, or uncommon winter migrants. They stay late until after the 20th of May, before they fly back north to their breeding places. The pictures below are somewhat blurred, since what I used is a compact digital camera, not a SLR camera. I appologize if they hurt your eye.















Video recorded on 5/11/2012, at Huajiang Wild Duck Nature Park, Taipei City



Video recorded on 5/12/2012, at Bali District, New Taipei City

Chinese name:	尖尾鷸
English name:	Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Nickname:
Scientific name:	Calidris acuminata
Order:	Charadriiformes
Family:	Scolopacidae
Species status:	Species
Conservation status:	Least Concern.
Migration status:	Common passage migrant or uncommon winter migratory bird in Taiwan
Frequency of appearance:	Common or uncommon in Taiwan
Foods:	small fishes, crabs, etc
Habitat:	Sea shores, sandbanks, outlet of a river, swamps
Altitude:	Low altitude
Behavior:	Often appear in flocks in mudflats of sea shores, sandbanks and outlets of rivers.
Characteristics:	General Characteristics: About 18 cm long. Plumage during breeding season: Plumage is mainly brown. Head top and face are reddish brown with horizontal black stripes. Eyebrow stripes are white. Back is grayish brown. Breast and belly are grayish white, with V-shapes black stripes. Bill is black and slightly bended at the tip of the bill. Feet are brown. Plumage during non-breeding season: Plumage color is lighter.
Breeding places:	Russia, China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, etc.
Migration destinations:	Wintering in Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, etc, stopping by Taiwan, Hong Kong, etc.
Time photographed:	5/11/2012
Location found:	Huajiang Wild Duck Nature Park, Taipei City
Sources:	Internet
Notes:

Grey-tailed Tattler, 5/7/2012

The bird showing up in Watzuwei Nature Reserve area of New Taipei City is not bad on 5/7/2012. Spotted birds include two flocks of Common Greenshank and Great White Egret, many Grey-tailed Tattlers, some Chinese Egrets and some Red-necked Stints. This is the first time I ever photographed a Grey-tailed Tattler, and I was just as excited as anyone else that day. When I spotted it, I didn't know its name. Not until I went home and searched the internet, I finally knew it's a Grey-tailed Tattler. Compared to its gray plumage, its yellowish feet look especially bright and outstanding. In Chinese, we call it yellow footed tattler, just as its feet show.

Here in Taiwan, Grey-tailed Tattlers are either commonly-seen passage migrants in autumn and spring, or uncommon winter migrants. They stay late until the end of May, before they fly back north to their breeding places. The pictures below are somewhat blurred, since what I used is a compact digital camera, not a SLR camera. I appologize if they hurt your eye.

Chinese name:	黃足鷸
English name:	Grey-tailed Tattler, Siberian (Grey-tailed) Tattler
Nickname:
Scientific name:	Heteroscelus brevipes
Order:	Charadriiformes
Family:	Scolopacidae
Species status:	Species
Conservation status:	Least Concern.
Migration status:	Common passage migrant or uncommon winter migratory bird in Taiwan
Frequency of appearance:	Common or uncommon in Taiwan
Foods:	small fishes, crabs, etc
Habitat:	Sea shores, sandbanks, outlet of a river, swamps
Altitude:	Low altitude
Behavior:	Often appear in flocks in mudflats of sea shores, sandbanks and outlets of rivers.
Characteristics:	General Characteristics: About 25 cm long. Plumage is mainly gray. Feet are yellow. Bill is black, but part of the bill base is yellow. Eyebrow stripe is white. Eyeline is black. Breast and side belly are covered with V-shape black stripes. Neck is covered with black stripes.
Breeding places:	Russia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Mongolia, etc.
Migration destinations:	Wintering in Southeast Asia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, etc, stopping by Taiwan.
Time photographed:	5/7/2012
Location found:	Watzuwei Nature Reserve, Bali District, New Taipei City
Sources:	Internet
Notes:

Chinese Egret, 5/7/2012

At the beginning of May, one senior birdwatching friend told me there are Chinese Egrets in Watzuwei Nature Reserve area at Bali District of New Taipei City. Before 5/7/2012, I only saw this bird from some birdwatching fans' blogs. In their blogs, they described Chinese Egrets as rare passage migrants in Taiwan, not easy to be spotted. Now they appeared in Watzuwei Nature Reserve area. How can I miss the chance to photograph them? Choosing a sunny weekday, I went to take pictures of the birds. Lucky enough, they were still there.

The outlook and size of Chinese Egret are almost the same as Little Egret. Both have a white body, and both have yellow toes. The difference is that, in summer, the bill of the Chinese Egret is yellow, but the bill of the Little Egret is black. There are only two head crests for the Little Egret, but the Chinese Egret has more than two head crests.

Chinese Egret also looks very much like Intermediate Egret. Both have a white body, and both have a yellow bill. The difference is that, the toes of the Chinese Egret are yellow, but the toes of the Intermediate Egret are black.











Video recorded on 5/7/2012, at Watzuwei Nature Reserve, Bali District, New Taipei City



Video recorded on 5/23/2012, at Watzuwei Nature Reserve, Bali District, New Taipei City

Chinese name:	唐白鷺
English name:	Chinese Egret
Nickname:
Scientific name:	Egretta eulophotes
Order:	Ciconiiformes
Family:	Ardeidae
Species status:	Species
Conservation status:	IUCN listed it as Vulnerable, but Taiwan listed it as "Class II Rare and Valuable Species". There are estimated 3400 Chinese Egrets left in the world today, with about 100 in Russia, 900 to 1300 in North Korea, 600 to 1000 in South Korea and 1000 in China.
Migration status:	Passage migrants in Taiwan
Frequency of appearance:	Uncommon in Taiwan
Foods:	Fishes, amphibians, insects
Habitat:	Wetlands, Swamps
Altitude:	Low altitude
Behavior:	Appear alone.
Characteristics:	General Characteristics: About 55 cm long, about the same size as Little Egret. Feet are black, with yellow poes. In summer, the bill is yellow, eye are blue and there are many slim head crests. In winter, the upper bill is black, the lower bill is yellow and feet are yellowish green. Other parts of the bird are white.
Breeding places:	Russia, North Korea, South Korea and mainland China.
Migration destinations:	Wintering in Eastern Visayas of the Philippines and the Malaysian states of Sarawak and Selangor. Stopping by Japan, Taiwan, northern Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei and Indonesia.
Time photographed:	5/7/2012
Location found:	Watzuwei Nature Reserve, Bali District, New Taipei City
Sources:	Internet
Notes:

Himalayan Cuckoo, 5/6/2012

One birdwatching friend said four Himalayan Cuckoos had arrived in Cingshuei Wetland at Jinshan District of New Taipei City. The first time I saw a Himalayan Cuckoo was through some birdwatching fans' blogs and felt odd about its Chinese name. In Chinese, its name is the same as the plant "azalea". And we even have a famous song called "azalea" in Chinese. Strangely enough, how come a bird is named "azalea"? After searching the web, I found there are a whole family of birds called "CUCULIDAE", including Lesser Coucal and Chestnut-winged Cuckoo, which I used to photograph before. Although Lesser Coucals are common local species here in Taiwan, but they are shy and not easy to be spotted. Chestnut-winged Cuckoos are even harder to be spotted and photographed here, since they belong to disoriented birds in Taiwan and only appear in Taiwan if they are disoriented during their migration. On the contrary, according to birdwatching fans' blogs, Himalayan Cuckoos are common summer migratory birds in Taiwan and are easy to be spotted. It looks like these four Himalayan Cuckoos are trying to prove the birdwatching fans are right, by appearing four at one time and staying at the same area for over two weeks. According to other birdwatching fans, these four Cuckoos are still there on May 13th. Since they are summer migratory birds in Taiwan, does that mean they won't leave until the end of this summer?

The sound of Himalayan Cuckoos is like "boo-goo..., boo-goo". It's said that the whole CUCULIDAE family sounds like "boo-goo, boo-goo". That's why the CUCULIDAE birds are generally called "boo-goo birds" here in Taiwan. Himalayan Cuckoos' outlook is unique, though they are not bright-colored-and-beautiful. Generally speaking, the size of the CUCULIDAE birds are not small. This is true with Himalayan Cuckoo, which has about the same size as Rock Dove. The pictures below are somewhat blurred, since what I used is a compact digital camera, not a SLR camera. I appologize if they hurt your eye.


Photographed at Cingshuei Wetland, Jinshan District, New Taipei City



Photographed at Cingshuei Wetland, Jinshan District, New Taipei City



Photographed at Cingshuei Wetland, Jinshan District, New Taipei City

Chinese name:	中杜鵑
English name:	Himalayan Cuckoo
Nickname:
Scientific name:	Cuculus saturatus
Order:	CUCULIFORMES
Family:	CUCULIDAE
Species status:	Species
Conservation status:	Least Concern
Migration status:	Summer migratory birds in Taiwan
Frequency of appearance:	Common in Taiwan
Foods:	Reptiles, small animals, insects, fruits
Habitat:	Treetops on hills
Altitude:	Low altitude
Behavior:	Appear alone. They like to perch on electric wires and leafless tree branches. They don't build nest. Instead, they lay their eggs in the nests of other birds. Let other birds hatch their eggs and raise their baby birds. Record shows the Himalayan Cuckoos used to lay their eggs in the nest of Yellow-bellied Prinia in Taiwan. When one baby bird is hatched, it will kick all other eggs out of the nest.
Characteristics:	General Characteristics: About 32 cm long. Its head, breast and back are light blueish gray. Its wings and tail are also blueish gray, but darker. The lower neck is a little bit brown. Its eye color is orange, with yellow eyering. There are many horizontal black stripes on belly. Feet color is orange. There is a reddish female bird, with reddish brown back covered with horizontal black stripes. Its belly is yellowish brown, also covered with horizontal black stripes.
Breeding places:	The Himalayas, Pakistan, Nepal, northern India, northern Myanmar, Southeast Asia, southern China, etc.
Migration destinations:	Wintering in Indonesia and the Philippines, etc. Summering in Taiwan, etc.
Time photographed:	5/1/2012, 5/6/2012
Location found:	Jinshan District, New Taipei City
Sources:	Internet
Notes:

Striated Heron, 5/1/2012

When we were searching for birds along a big gutter in Cingshuei Wetland of New Taipei City, my birdwatching buddy spotted this Striated Heron by chance and asked me what it is. I followed the direction he pointed to and saw this bird too. At first glance I thought it was a Black-crowned Night Heron. But my buddy shouted "Chinese Pond Heron". Quickly I pressed the shutter of my camera. The bird was so shy that it flew away after I took two shots. Later I showed the pictures to another senior birdwatching fan and he said it's a subadult of Black-crowned Night Heron, not a Chinese Pond Heron. I agreed with him because I used to take some pictures of Chinese Pond Heron before and this one doesn't look like Chinese Pond Heron. Several days later I met my birdwatching buddy again. He told me it's some unusual bird, neither a Chinese Pond Heron nor a Black-crowned Night Heron. I decided to figure it out. So I searched all the birds in the Ardeidae family and found a bird that looks exactly the same. It's the Striated Heron. It's so unusual here in Taiwan that even the senior birdwatching fan mistook it as a Black-crowned Night Heron.

Most of the Striated Herons in Taiwan are rare Passage migrants, with few local species.

Chinese name:	綠蓑鷺
English name:	Striated Heron
Nickname:
Scientific name:	Butorides striata
Order:	Ciconiiformes
Family:	Ardeidae
Species status:	Species
Conservation status:	Least Concern
Migration status:	Passage migrants in Taiwan, some are Taiwan local birds.
Frequency of appearance:	Uncommon in Taiwan
Foods:	Fishes, insects
Habitat:	Wet areas, streams, sea shores
Altitude:	Low altitude
Behavior:	Appear alone
Characteristics:	General Characteristics: About 52 cm long. It looks like Black-crowned Night Heron, but its eye is yellow. There are bright white edges on wings. Crown is black, but there is no additional feather on head top. Back is light blue with vertical tuft-like feathers. Flanks are gray.
Breeding places:	East Asia including Siberia and North China, Middle East, Central Africa and Central America.
Migration destinations:	Wintering in Sunda Islands, etc., stopping by Taiwan.
Time photographed:	5/1/2012
Location found:	Jinshan District, New Taipei City
Sources:	Internet
Notes:

Little Bunting, 5/1/2012

After I finished photographing the Himalayan Cuckoos at a windbreak forest by the sea, I headed for Cingshuei Wetland to search for more birds. On my way to the wetland, I saw this Little Bunting resting on a branch of a bush inside a deserted farm field. At first sight, I knew it's some kind of bunting which I had never met before. After some shots fired from my camera, other birdwatching fans came one by one and asked me what I was shooting at. I said I don't know. Not until a birdwatching fan of whom I know arrived and told me the name of the bird that I know it's a Little Bunting. It's breeding season. This bunting has a bright reddish brown head and face, rather colorful compared to ordinary buntings. It's a winter migratory bird rarely seen in Taiwan. The farthest species of its kind would come from as far as Siberia. It's amazing that the bird is capable of flying long distance across the sea to Taiwan.

















Video recorded on 5/1/2012, at Cingshuei Wetland, Jinshan District, New Taipei City.

Chinese name:	小鵐
English name:	Little Bunting
Nickname:
Scientific name:	Emberiza pusilla
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Emberizidae
Species status:	Species
Conservation status:	Least Concern
Migration status:	Winter migratory bird in Taiwan
Frequency of appearance:	Rare in Taiwan
Foods:	seeds
Habitat:	Grasslands, bushes
Altitude:	Low altitude
Behavior:	Often appear in grasslands and farm fields near sea shore, or in bushes near woodlands or riverside.
Characteristics:	General Characteristics: About 13 cm long. Plumage is mainly brown. Head top and face are reddish brown with horizontal black stripes. Back is gray. Breast and belly are gray-white. Bill is black. Feet are brown.
Breeding places:	North Europe, Finland, Northeast Siberia.
Migration destinations:	The species from North Europe will move to central and south Europe for wintering. The species from Northeast Siberia will move to Northeast Indonesia, Nepal, South China, Taiwan, Philippines, Brunei, Southeast Asia and Myanmar for wintering, stopping by Mongolia, Northeast China and Korea.
Time photographed:	5/1/2012
Location found:	Jinshan District, New Taipei City
Sources:	Internet
Notes:

Gray-streaked Flycatcher, 4/22/2012

A birdwatching buddy told me a Gray-streaked Flycatcher appeared in Taipei Botanical Garden and liked to stay at the same tree top as last year. So I waited near that tree and, as the birdwatching buddy said, the bird appeared on top of that tree again. First, only one Gray-streaked Flycatcher appeared, and later another Gray-streaked Flycatcher joined in. Whether they are a couple, I don't know. The position they rested is very high, testing the capability of my compact digital camera. The pictures I took are all blurred. I apologize if the pictures hurt your eye.

Gray-streaked Flycatchers are passage migrants in Taiwan and are uncommonly seen here. These two birds stayed for about a week and disappeared from Taipei Botanical Garden.

Chinese name:	灰斑鶲
English name:	Gray-streaked Flycatcher, Grey-streaked Flycatcher
Nickname:
Scientific name:	Muscicapa griseisticta
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Musciapidae
Species status:	Species
Conservation status:	Least Concern
Migration status:	Passage migrant in Taiwan
Frequency of appearance:	Uncommon in Taiwan
Foods:	Insects, seeds, fruits
Habitat:	Woodlands
Altitude:
Behavior:	Often appear alone on higher branches in well-wooded areas
Characteristics:	General Characteristics: About 12 cm long. The bird has a gray tone. Breast and belly are white with vertical gray stripes. The edges of the wings are white. Bill and feet are black.
Breeding places:	Russia, China, Japan, Korea.
Migration destinations:	Wintering in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Palau, and Papua New Guinea, stopping by Taiwan.
Time photographed:	4/22/2012
Location found:	Taipei Botanical Garden, Taipei City
Sources:	Internet
Notes:

Brown Hawk Owl, 4/20/2012

Heard that a Brown Hawk Owl appeared in a park in Jingmei, Taipei City, I headed for the park. When I arrived at the park, there were already more than ten big long-range lens cameras there. This park also hosts the Black-naped Orioles which nest here every year in the last few years. Usually, birdwatching fans come here mainly for the Black-naped Orioles, but this is not the case today. Today the focus is on the Brown Hawk Owl. Most of the birdwatching fans aimed at the Brown Hawk Owl. Being not able to find a good position to take the pictures, I choosed a somewhat good position and took some pictures. Most of the time the bird was sleeping on a tree branch, and only half opened its eye occasionally to check out the enthusiastic birdwatching fans below. Without patience to wait for it to widely open its eye, I left after taking some pictures from some somewhat better positions.

Later I heard this bird is a released bird released by Wild Bird Society of Taipei, neither a migratory bird nor a local species. No wonder it appeared in heavily populated city area, and created a sensation in the birdwatching society.

Chinese name:	褐鷹鴞
English name:	Brown Hawk Owl
Nickname:
Scientific name:	Emberiza pusilla
Order:	Strigiformes
Family:	Strigidae
Species status:	Species
Conservation status:	IUCN listed it as Least Concern, but Taiwan listed it as "Class II Rare and Valuable Species".
Migration status:	Winter/Summer migratory bird, passage migrant or local bird in Taiwan
Frequency of appearance:	Rare in Taiwan
Foods:	Small animals, insects
Habitat:	Woodlands
Altitude:	Low to mid-altitude
Behavior:	Often appear alone in well-wooded areas
Characteristics:	General Characteristics: About 29 cm long. Iris is yellow. Bill is black. Toes are yellow. No head tufts. Plumage is mainly dark brown. Breast and belly are gray-white with wide and irregular vertical chocolate stripes.
Breeding places:	Widely spread in Asia.
Migration destinations:	North Asia species will be wintering in South Asia, and South Asia species will be summering in North Asia.
Time photographed:	4/20/2012
Location found:	Jingmei, Taipei City
Sources:	Internet
Notes:	It is said the local species in Taiwan was first found in Lanyu island, and was named the totogo subspecies.

Fan-tailed Cisticola, 4/17/2012

Zitting Cisticola(Fan-tailed Cisticola) is Taiwan local bird. Its main food source is insects. Its size is about the same as Eurasian Tree Sparrow, and its plumage is mainly brown, but lighter than Sparrow. It's characterized by its gray-white eyebrow stripe. When its tail is opened, it looks like a fan. The main difference between Zitting Cisticola and Golden-headed Cisticola is as follows. Golden-headed Cisticola's tail is shorter. Eyebrow stripe is yellowish brown, not gray-white. It sounds like "Mei...", but Zitting Cisticola sounds like "Chi-cha...Chi-cha".

Chinese name:	棕扇尾鶯
English name:	Fan-tailed Cisticola, Fan-tailed Warbler, Zitting Cisticola
Nickname:
Scientific name:	Cisticola juncidis
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Sylviidae
Species status:	Species
Conservation status:	Least Concern
Migration status:	Taiwan local bird
Frequency of appearance:	Common in Taiwan
Foods:	insects
Habitat:	Grasslands
Altitude:	Low altitude
Behavior:	Appear alone
Characteristics:	General Characteristics: About 11 centimeters in length, with gray-white eyebrow stripe, slightly bended long bill, flesh-colored feet, white belly. When the tail is opened, it looks like a fan. The difference between Zitting Cisticola and Golden-headed Cisticola is as fallows. Golden-headed Cisticola's tail is shorter. Eyebrow stripe is yellowish brown, not gray-white. It sounds like "Mei...". The males often cry and fly high during breeding season to attract females. And Zitting Cisticola sounds like "Chi-cha...Chi-cha".
Breeding places:	Africa, South Europe, Asia, Australia, Oceania.
Migration destinations:
Time photographed:	4/17/2012
Location found:	Beitou District, Taipei City
Sources:	Internet
Notes:

Water Rail, 4/17/2012

At the beginning of April, I heard that Water Rails and Ruddy-breasted Crakes appeared in Guizikeng Big Gutter area of Taipei City. Afraid of the birds migrating back to their breeding place, I went to the guttern area on April 17 and found they were still there. Someone was feeding them, so it's kind of easy shot.

According to internet information I gather, Water Rails are either rare winter migratory birds, passage migrants or local birds in Taiwan. Local farmers said they regularly come at about the same period every year, and leave on late April every year.

Here I've something to say. Please don't step on the farm fields or ruin any crops, and don't intercept the trench water which is used for irrigation and is critical to the living of the farmers. I know no one will be doing these on purpose, but still I would like to remind you.


Photographed on 4/17/2012, at Guizikeng Big Gutter area, Taipei City.



Photographed on 4/17/2012, at Guizikeng Big Gutter area, Taipei City.



Photographed on 4/17/2012, at Guizikeng Big Gutter area, Taipei City.



Photographed on 4/17/2012, at Guizikeng Big Gutter area, Taipei City.



Photographed on 4/17/2012, at Guizikeng Big Gutter area, Taipei City.



Photographed on 4/17/2012, at Guizikeng Big Gutter area, Taipei City.



Photographed on 4/17/2012, at Guizikeng Big Gutter area, Taipei City.



Video recorded on 4/17/2012, at Guizikeng Big Gutter area, Taipei City.

Chinese name:	秧雞
English name:	Water Rail
Nickname:
Scientific name:	Rallus aquaticus
Order:	Gruiformes
Family:	Rallidae
Species status:	Species
Conservation status:	Least Concern
Migration status:	Winter migratory bird or passage migrant in Taiwan
Frequency of appearance:	Rare in Taiwan
Foods:	Fishes, seeds, insects
Habitat:	Swamps, ponds, lakes, wet farm fields
Altitude:	Low altitude
Behavior:	Appear alone
Characteristics:	General Characteristics: About 23 cm long. Upper body is mainly yellowish brown with dark brown stripes. Head top is full of dark brown stripes. Face is gray. Lower body(Neck, breast and belly) are mainly gray with yellowish brown feathers. Eyeline is dark brown. Flank is yellowish brown with dark brown and white stripes. Upper bill is black with some orange color. Lower bill is orange with light black tip. There are no webs between toes.
Breeding places:	Northeast China, north of the Yellow River and Northwest China.
Migration destinations:	Wintering in Fukien, Guangdong and Taiwan
Time photographed:	4/17/2012
Location found:	Beitou District, Taipei City
Sources:	Internet
Notes: