21 Oct 2021

Collared Bush Robin of Taiwan

by | posted in: birds, Miscellaneous, Morphology-Develop. | 0

Any bird watching trip to Taiwan would be a poorer one if you did not get to spend some time with this splendid Bush Robin (Tarsiger johnstoniae). For some reason we seem to see more males rather than females.

The males are magnificently adorned – the rusty-rufous (sometimes reddish) breast band runs backwards over shoulders (as a collar) into the mantel, and involves the scapulars. The lower breast and belly are buff, being more yellow higher up. The combination of these colours with the white supercilium and slaty-black face and wings (wings tend to have some brown) makes for an elegant bird.

This is a Taiwan endemic confined to the sub-alpine and montane regions. Avifauna of Taiwan, 2nd edition states that the “habitat in the breeding season is 2,600 to 3,550m ASL and … in the non-breeding season occurs at an altitude of 1,650 to 2,820m of broad-leaf and coniferous forests, broad mixed forest…”

 

Amar-Singh HSS (Dato’ Dr)

Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

 

Location: Daxueshan National Forest Recreation Area, Taichung City County, Taiwan

Habitat: 1,750-2,500 meter ASL, forested region

Date: 15 & 17th January 2019

Equipment: Nikon D500 SLR with Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD, handheld with Rode VideoMic Pro Plus Shotgun Microphone

 

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Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

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