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Endemic Species White-whiskered Laughingthrush
Yellow Tit
Endemic Sub-Species
Winter Wren
More Birds in Taiwan
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Gray Treepie Dendrocitta formosae formosae Endemic subspecies
The Gray Treepie is a large (34-38 cm) member of the crow family with a very long, graduated tail. In the Taiwan subspecies the basal third of the centre of the tail is gray (black in mainland subspecies), the rest of the tail is black, and the rump is whitish-gray (white on mainland). The face is blackish, the head, neck and upper breast are gray, the mantle is brown, the belly is white and the vent rufous. The wings are black with a small white patch at the base of the primaries, and the bill and legs are also black. Sexes are alike.
The Gray Treepie usually travels in small groups and is active in the mid to upper levels of forests. It is omnivorous, feeding on any small animals which it can catch, such as reptiles, amphibians and young birds, and also eats insects and fruits. The Gray Treepie is quite noisy, making a variety of harsh clucking notes as well as musical notes and alarm chatter.
Like most members of its family, the Gray Treepie builds a platform-like nest of twigs lined with finer material, placed in a tree. Usually three or four eggs are laid, and both sexes share parental duties. In Taiwan the Gray Treepie is a common resident from the plains to mid-elevation broadleaved forests. It is often found in mixed-species flocks with other birds, especially the Formosan Magpie.
References: A Field Guide to the Birds of China (Mackinnon and Phillipps); 100 Common Birds of Taiwan (Wild Bird Society of Taipei); N. J. Collar, “Endemic subspecies of Taiwan birds—first impressions”, in Birding ASIA, Number 2, December 2004
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