Taiwan Birding Tours
Taiwan not only has great birds, but a host of other highlights that make it a wonderful destination for a comfortable and relaxing birding tour. With about 30 endemics and many endemic subspecies, not to mention the incredible East-Asian Flyway, Taiwan has much to offer for both serious and casual birders alike. Located 100 km east of China, south of Japan and Korea, and north of the Philippines, this small nation is less than 400 km long and 150 km wide with rugged central mountains interspersed with deep valleys, and boasts a very high biodiversity in a very manageable package.
Our Taiwan - Spring Birding tour is a comprehensive tour of Taiwan that focuses on the endemics and other East Asian specialities in the nation’s largely pristine and well protected forests. Highlights include legendary species such as the magnificent Swinhoe’s and Mikado Pheasants, Taiwan Partridge, the spectacular Taiwan Blue Magpie, Chestnut-bellied and Yellow Tits, Black-necklaced Scimitar Babbler, Flamecrest, Collared Bush Robin, Taiwan Whistling Thrush, Malayan Night Heron, Chinese Egret, Black-faced Spoonbill, the exquisite Fairy Pitta, Japanese Paradise Flycatcher and Ryukyu (Lanyu) Scops Owl to mention just a few! Most of our time will be spent in the mountains, but we will allow some time in the lowlands and along the coast in order to search for wetland and coastal species: Lanyu (Orchid) Island in particular harbours several very interesting birds, including various endemic sub-species and other specialities that are otherwise very difficult to see anywhere else.
Our Taiwan - Winter Birding tour takes makes an excellent extension to our China - Winter Birding tour, providing a completely different backdrop to our Spring tour. We target almost all the same endemics as the Spring tour, including Swinhoe’s and Mikado Pheasants, Taiwan Partridge, the spectacular Taiwan Blue Magpie, Chestnut-bellied and Yellow Tits, Black-necklaced Scimitar Babbler, Flamecrest, Collared Bush Robin, Taiwan Whistling Thrush, Malayan Night Heron and Black-faced Spoonbill!
When circumstances allow, we will also make time for exploring and enjoying the numerous other aspects of Taiwan’s natural biodiversity, the fascinating human culture and, of course, for chasing any reported notable vagrants! In addition, the Taiwanese are a super-friendly and welcoming people who have blended the best parts of unspoiled, traditional Chinese culture with the influence of colonial Japan and the native Austronesian culture. Taiwan is free and democratic, has good infrastructure and is extremely safe for tourists, all of which should ensure a thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding birding adventure!
