The
Steere's liocichla has a body length of 17-19cm and a wing
length of 7-8cm. Both males and females have the same coloring:
grayish-black heads with yellow foreheads; olive green backs;
grayish-black rumps; black tail feathers with white tips;
and olive yellow faces, sides of their necks, chests, abdomens,
and the base of their flight feathers. In addition, their
faces and the sides of their necks also have a few orange-yellow
feathers mixed in with them; their lower abdomens are a dark
grayish-green; their lower tail coverts are yellow; the edges
of their secondary feathers have fine white lines; and their
tertiary feathers are chestnut brown. Steere's liocichla have
brownish-black beaks, brown legs and feet, and a trademark
orange and yellow "beauty mark" on their cheeks.
Behavior:
Steere's
liocichla make a resonant call that sounds like the Chinese
phrase "ma-jin lai," which translates into "mother,
come in." Their diet consists primarily of insects, though
the birds will also eat ripe fruits and invertebrates. A gregarious
bird, Steere's liocichla like to mingle with other bird groups.
They have a rather long breeding season, which starts in April
or May and ends around September. Their nests are built approximately
one meter above the ground in scrubs, and females typically
lay a clutch of three to four oval-shaped eggs that are olive
green in color with brown spots. Steere's liocichla are not
afraid of humans and are often seen in groups either among
thick shrubs or popping back and forth across hiking paths
like rats.
Habitat:
Steere's
liocichla are endemic to Taiwan and commonly found on the
floors of broad-leaved forests at middle and high altitudes,
usually at 700-2500m elevations. They are also common amongst
thick shrubs and forests in the Hsitou area.
