Taiwan - National Bird

The Formosan blue magpie is Taiwan endemic subspecies.

Sent by Wen Chi, a postcrosser from Taiwan.

The Taiwan Blue Magpie (Urocissa caerulea), also called the Taiwan Magpie or Formosan Blue Magpie (Chinese: 臺灣藍鵲;pinyin: Táiwān lán què) or the "long-tailed mountain lady" (Chinese: 長尾山娘; pinyin: Chángwěi shānniáng; Taiwanese: Tn̂g-boé soaⁿ-niû), is a member of the Crow family. It is an endemic species living in the mountains of Taiwan at elevations of 300 to 1200m.

In the 2007 National Bird Voting Campaign held by the Taiwan International Birding Association, there were over 1 million votes cast from 53 countries. The Taiwan Blue Magpie defeated the Mikado Pheasant and was chosen as Taiwan's national bird, though it has yet to be formally accepted.

The Taiwan Blue Magpie is about the size of European Magpie, but with a longer tail. It is 64-65 centimeters in length. Wing measures 18-21 centimeters and tail measures 40 centimeters in length.

The plumage of male and female look alike. Its head, neck and breast are black; eyes are yellow; bill and legs are red; the rest of the plumage on the bird is a rich dark blue to purple in color. It also has white markings on the wings and the tail. (read further)