The
Formosan yuhina is 12-13cm long, with an average wing length
of 6cm. Both the male and female have the same plumage, which
consists of an outstanding dark brown crest, a dusty white
crown, a grayish, off-white face that has pair of whiskers
on it, an olive gray back, a yellowish-white abdomen, and
a light yellow lower chest. Both their primary and secondary
feathers are dark brown, as are their lower tail coverts,
which also have some chestnut-colored feathers mixed in with
them. Formosan yuhinas have an arc line on the sides of their
necks connecting their eye line with their mandibular line,
black beaks, and yellowish-brown legs and feet.
Behavior:
Formosan
yuhinas have a loud, resonant, and beautiful call that resembles
the English phrase "to meet you." A very active
bird that tends to make a lot of noise, they are often seen
in treetops picking at insects and plants, and when it is
the blooming season for flowers, they can be found hanging
upside down nibbling at nectar and pollen. Formosan yuhinas
are commonly found in tree branches and shrubs in forest areas.
They like to congregate with each other and mingle with tits
and smaller-build babblers, and are also not shy of human
beings. Indeed, they are known for their unique behavior of
having three to four pairs of birds sharing the same nest
for breeding, taking turns to incubate the eggs and care for
the young as a group. Similar to the white-eared babbler,
Formosan yuhinas migrate to low altitudes in the winter to
avoid the cold.
Habitat:
Formosan
yuhinas are endemic to Taiwan and a very common resident in
mountains at low and middle altitudes around 700-3300m.
