Teams from all over #Taiwan will try to count the most species in Taichung's Dasyueshan Scenic Area over a 24-hour period. Great for birding, 29 of Taiwan's 30 endemics can be recorded here. 📷WBAT
Stay tuned for updates!
The #birdrace officially starts at 10am. As we wait for it to kick off, have a look at some of the teams and their awesome team banners! #birdart#Taiwan
The 12th Annual Dasyueshan #BirdRace has officially begun! 🪶
This year there are 136 participants and total of 34 teams. Good luck to everyone and happy birding! 😀
The Dasyueshan #BirdRace starts at the Dongshih Forestry Culture Park. The area is great for a number of lower elevation species such as the Eastern Spot-billed Duck (花嘴鴨) and Malayan Night Heron (黑冠麻鷺). #TaiwanNature#BirdsSeenIn2022
As you get to higher elevations along the Xueshan Road, many new species begin to appear. This includes a number of Taiwan endemics such as this White-eared Sibia (白耳畫眉). #TaiwanNature#BirdsSeenIn2022
The Xueshan Forest Road ends at an elevation of 2650m asl. Here you can find a number of endemics like the Taiwan Rosefinch and Taiwan Bullfinch and endemic ssp like this Coal Tit (煤山雀).
One of the species many people are excited for at the Dasyueshan #BirdRace is the Swinhoe's Pheasant (藍腹鷳). It is one of Taiwan's two endemic pheasant species and is protected under the Wildlife Conservation Act.
The #birdrace finished at 10am this morning and the record sheets being checked. Now it's time to sign the official board, take some photos, and wait to hear the results!
Congrats to the winners of the General Team category at the year's Dasyueshan #BirdRace. They recorded 102 species during the race!
Big thanks to our partner the Wild Bird Association of Taiwan (台灣野鳥協會) and all their members for making the 2022 Dasyueshan Bird Race such a success.
Thanks also to the Forestry Bureau's Dongshih Forest District Office for sponsoring this year's event.
See you next year!
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Endemic subspecies have restricted ranges and many have a high chance of being declared a new species in the future. Taiwan is home to 54 endemic subspecies of bird. We will be sharing these with you over the coming days and weeks.
The Ring-necked Pheasant (環頸雉) is considered Least Concern by the IUCN yet Taiwan's endemic ssp is Critically Endangered mainly due to hybridization. They are primarily found in Taichung City, the Chianan Plain and along the east coast.
Taiwan's endemic ssp. of Slaty-legged Crake (灰腳秧雞) is extremely shy and difficult to see. It's easier to hear them call at night in spring and summer. An indigenous Tsou tribe legend says if you hear one at night, you'll see a Hundred-Pacer (百步蛇) in ten days! #TaiwanNature