From Opus

Photo by MoonCake
Shanlinhsi, Nantou County, Taiwan

Alternative names: Taiwan Liocichla; Steere's Babbler

Liocichla steerii

[edit] Identification

Grey nape and crown, streaked white, crescent shaped yellow patch in front of eye, black supercilium, olive brown back, grey rump, olive tail, grey throat and upper breast, olive yellow lower breast, dark brown iris, black bill, olive brown legs.

[edit] Distribution

Endemic to Taiwan.
Frequent to very common in its habitat.

[edit] Taxonomy

Monotypic.
May form a superspecies with Emei Shan Liocichla and Bugun Liocichla and was considered conspecific with the first in the past.

[edit] Habitat

Coniferous and deciduous forests on mountain slopes and hillsides at 1200 - 3000m.

[edit] Behaviour

The diet includes grasshoppers, locusts, caterpillars, earthworms, fruits, berries and seeds.
Forages in low vegetation, usually below 2m. Occurs singly, in pairs or small groups. Not shy, takes food from tourists in winter. Occasionally in bird waves.
Breeding season from March to August/September. The nest is a cup made of bamboo leaves, moss, bark, roots and dead leaves. It's placed in shrubs, bamboo or tall grass and 2-3 eggs are laid.
Resident species.

[edit] References

1. Avibase
2. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.
3. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2007. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553422

• List of references

[edit] External Links