Taiwan Whistling-Thrush
Myophonus insularis
Large songbird, blackish-blue with metallic sheen, appearing black from a distance and in poor lighting. Up close, a brighter blue patch on the shoulder and dark red irides are diagnostic. Frequently bobs and fans tail. Inhabits streamside areas in shaded forests. Gives piercing whistles frequently; less frequently heard song is melodic and consists of assorted whistles and trills.
Identification
Its length is 28 to 30 cm (11 to 12 in). The wings are 15 to 16 cm (5.9 to 6.3 in) long. It is mostly blackish-blue. Some feathers are navy blue or metallic blue. Some underwing coverts have white bases. The underparts are blackish. Its neck, breast and flanks are scaled. Its eyes are deep red, and its lores, bill and legs are black. The two sexes are alike. The juvenile is dull blackish, with a bluish tinge. The gape of the juvenile is yellowish.
Taxonomy
The Taiwan whistling thrush was collected by Robert Swinhoe and described as Myiophoneus insularis by John Gould in 1862. Swinhoe called it the "Formosan cavern-bird" because it inhabits the dark, forested ravines in the mountains. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the Malabar whistling thrush (Myophonus horsfieldii). The species is monotypic.
- Scientific name
- Myophonus insularis
- Authority
- Gould, 1863
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Genus
- Myophonus
Range and habitat
This thrush is endemic to Taiwan. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is found at elevations of up to 2,700 m (8,900 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Activity is greatest at dawn and dusk. It jumps among rocks in forest streams. It often opens and closes its tail when it is sitting on a rock. Its call is a sharp whistle, described as screee. Its song is loud and melodious whistles.<p>The Taiwan whistling thrush is monogamous. The breeding season is from late March to early September. There are two broods each breeding season. Nests are usually built in holes in rocks or trees. Nests are also built in human structures. They are made of twigs, roots, stems and moss. There are 2 to 4 eggs in a clutch. The eggs are pinkish with brownish or greyish marks. The female incubates the eggs. Incubation takes about 12 to 14 days. Newly hatched chicks are altricial. They have few feathers. Both parents feed the nestlings. Chicks leave the nest after about 21 days.<p>The diet consists of shrimp, earthworms, insects, frogs, reptiles, and fish, obtained by foraging in or near streams.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Black-fronted Bulbul
Pycnonotus nigricans
A typical open-country African bulbul with a dark head and a conspicuous and diagnostic fleshy orange-red eye-ring. Pairs and small groups forage in riverine thickets in the Karoo and in arid thorny woodland and scrub, eating a variety of fruit and invertebrates. The species has a typical bubbly musical bulbul song, slower than that of the similar-sounding Common Bulbul. The juvenile Black-fronted Bulbul may be confused with the similar looking Common Bulbul, but it is often accompanied by adults with their diagnostic eye-rings.
Northern Marquesan Reed Warbler
Acrocephalus percernis
A large, seemingly long-bodied warbler, mostly bright yellow with some greenish-olive above. Bill and tail long. Often perches in a flat stance, making it look banana-like. Most common in dense brush and thickets with dense tangled understory. Song is a loud and long sequence of warbled phrases and “churr” notes. Calls include harsh churring and “tchak” notes.
Dwarf Koel
Microdynamis parva
A medium-sized cuckoo of lowland and hill forest. Both sexes have a brown body, thick bill, and white stripe below the red eye. Male has distinctive black cap and black facial stripe. Feeds on fruit in the rainforest canopy. Similar to Long-billed Cuckoo, but Dwarf Koel has a shorter, thicker bill and white stripe on the face. Also from the larger female Pacific Koel by the smaller size and plain brown back. Call, a series of rising, single or double whistled notes.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.