After all, Taiwan is home to the elusive “kings of the mist” in local parlance — the stately Swinhoe and Mikado pheasants. “We want you to have the best birding experience in Taiwan!” insists Victor Yu, the affable president of Ecotourism Taiwan. We hear the calls of the Taiwan Hwamei — a passerine bird endemic to Taiwan, and manage to snag a good view of the crested serpent eagle and the spotted dove. Alongside the Mikado pheasants and Taiwan magpies, these endemic birds are unofficially considered the national symbols of Taiwan, which in turn, played a huge role in their conservation and protection. Cold weather forgotten, we jostle for a good view of the birds with cameras whirring and clicking, while the birds seem oblivious to our excitement.

Source: New Strait Times November 04, 2017 06:00 UTC