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Bird Species and Subspecies Endemic to Taiwan

            The recognition of bird species and subspecies endemic to Taiwan is ongoing.  At present (July 2009), The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, James F. Clements, with updates to January 2007, recognizes 15 endemic species and 65 endemic subspecies.  Other authors recognize more. 

            Birds of East Asia; Eastern China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan and Eastern Russia, Mark Brazil, 2009, essentially follows The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World (Dickinson 2003), with occasional variation based on more recent publications.  Nine endemic forms are given endemic species status:  Taiwan Barbet Megalaima nuchalis, Black-necklaced Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus erythrocnemis, Taiwan Scimitar Babbler P. musicus, Taiwan Wren Babbler P. formosana, Rufous-crowned Laughingthrush Garrulax ruficeps, Rusty Laughingthrush G. poecilorhynchus, Taiwan Hawmei G. taewanus, Taiwan Fulvetta Alcippe formosana and Taiwan Shortwing Brachypteryx goodfellowi.  This increases Taiwan’s endemic species to 24.

            These images, by Liao Pen-shing, are presented with names according to Birds of East Asia, by Brazil, 2009, http://sites.google.com/site/birdsofeastasia/Home.

            Under the heading, Probably Separate Species, are those that are presently endemic subspecies, but may prove to be specifically distinct.

ENDEMIC SPECIES

ENDEMIC SPECIES, FLAMECREST Regulus goodfellowi

ENDEMIC SPECIES, TAIWAN FULVETTA, Alcippe formosana

ENDEMIC SPECIES, RUFOUS-CROWNED LAUGHINGTHRUSH, Garrulax ruficeps

ENDEMIC SPECIES, TAIWAN SCIMITAR BABBLER, Pomatorhinus musicus

ENDEMIC SPECIES, TAIWAN SHORTWING, Brachypteryx goodfellowi

ENDEMIC SPECIES, TAIWAN WREN-BABBLER, Pnoepyga formosana

ENDEMIC SUBSPECIES, GOLDEN-HEADED CISTICOLA, Cisticola exilis volitans

ENDEMIC SUBSPECIES, PLAIN PRINIA, Prinia inornata flavirostris

PROBABLY SEPARATE SPECIES

PROBABLY SEPARATE SPECIES, MAROON ORIOLE, Oriolus (t.) ardens

PROBABLY SEPARATE SPECIES, OWSTON’S BULLFINCH, Pyrrhula (e.) owstoni

PROBABLY SEPARATE SPECIES, TAIWAN BAMBOO PARTRIDGE, Bambucisola (t.) thorasicus

PROBABLY SEPARATE SPIECES, TAIWAN NILTAVA, Niltava (v.) vivida

PROBABLY SEPARATE SPECIES, TAIWAN THRUSH, Turdus (p.) niveiceps

PROBABLY SEPARATE SPECIES, TAIWAN ROBIN, Lucinia (i.) formosana

OTHER BIRDS

OTHER; EASTERN SPOT-BILLED DUCK, Anas zonorhyncha

OTHER; YELLOW-BELLIED PRINIA, Prinia flaviventris

OTHER;  ZITTING CISTICOLA, Cisticola juncidis tinnabulans.