The Taiwan Blue Magpie (Urocissa caerulea)—also known as the Formosan Blue Magpie—is a stunning species endemic to Taiwan. It holds the prestigious titles of both the National Bird of Taiwan and the City Bird of Taipei. I was absolutely thrilled to encounter a flock of these magnificent birds at the Erziping Recreation Area in Yangmingshan National Park.
A member of the crow family (Corvidae), these birds are as bold as they are beautiful. Males and females are similar in appearance, featuring a bright red beak and feet. Their head, neck, and upper chest are jet black, contrasting sharply with a vibrant blue body. They possess a pair of exceptionally long central tail feathers, the tips of which are a striking, snowy white. This elegant feature has earned them the nickname "Long-Tailed Mountain Lady."
Taiwan Blue Magpies are known for being fierce, gregarious, and highly territorial. They are omnivores with a very loud, distinct call. They exhibit a fascinating social trait where family members from previous broods assist the parents in raising new chicks. While we sat and chatted near the woods, one magpie stared us down like a sentinel, guarding the rest of its family hidden in the trees. Occasionally, it would fly to branches directly above our heads to "protest" our presence—a clear warning for us not to act foolishly!
One of the most spectacular sights in the Taiwanese countryside is seeing a group of these birds flying together across mountain streams and valleys. Because they follow one another in a line, their long tails create a beautiful visual effect known locally as the "long-tailed formation."
臺灣藍鵲又稱臺灣暗藍鵲、紅嘴山鵲、長尾山娘或長尾津仔等，是台灣特有的稀有鳥類。它也是台灣的「國鳥」和台北市的「市鳥」。我在陽明山國家公園二子坪遊憩區偶遇一群如此美麗的藍鵲，令我雀躍不已。
臺灣藍鵲屬於鴉科（Corvidae），性兇悍又美麗。䧳雄同型，嘴、腳紅色。頭、頸至上胸全黑，與鮮豔的藍色身體形成鮮明對比。它們有一對異常長的尾羽，尾下末端白色醒目。這一優雅的特徵使它們贏得了「長尾山娘」的綽號。
台灣藍鵲以其兇猛、群居和極強的領地意識而聞名。它們是雜食性動物，鳴叫聲粗大而聒噪。它們展現出一種有趣的社會習性：有家族協助育雛的特性。當我們坐在樹林邊聊天時，一隻臺灣藍鵲像哨兵一樣直瞪著我們，守護著藏在林子裏更多的家人。它偶爾會飛到我們頭頂的樹枝上「示威」我們的存在——這顯然是在警告我們不要輕舉妄動！
台灣鄉村最壯觀的景象之一，莫過於看到一群臺灣藍鵲飛越山澗溪谷。它們排成一列，長長的尾巴形成一道美麗的風景，甚為壯觀，當地人稱之為「長尾陣」。
Notes 筆記
- The Taiwan blue magpie (Urocissa caerulea), also called the Taiwan magpie, Formosan blue magpie, or the “long-tailed mountain lady”. It is a species of bird of the crow family. It is endemic to Taiwan.
- Taiwan blue magpies are mainly distributed in middle- and low-altitude broad-leaved forests. They are gregarious except for the breeding season and are usually found in groups of three to twelve. They are territorial.
- They often fly in a line, following each other and arranged in a certain order. This is sometimes called “long-tailed formation”.
- Their breeding season is from March to July each year. They are monogamous. They give birth about twice a year, laying about 3 to 8 eggs each time.
- Taiwan blue magpies are scavengers and omnivores. Their diet includes snakes, rodents, small insects, carrion, eggs and chicks of other birds, plants, fruits, and seeds.
- Taiwan blue magpie is the sacred bird of Taiwan aborigine Tsou, Thao, and Bunun peoples. In the common great flood myths of Taiwan Austronesian peoples, in Tsou, Thao, and Bunun sagas, the last surviving peoples escaped from the great flood to high mountain summits as the last refuge. The sacred bird Taiwan blue magpie sacrificed itself and helped the peoples to carry the last fire tinder from Yu Shan summit back to the peoples.
- 臺灣藍鵲又稱臺灣暗藍鵲、紅嘴山鵲、長尾山娘或長尾津仔等，它是烏鴉科的一種鳥類。為臺灣特有種鳥類。
- 臺灣藍鵲主要分布在中、低海拔闊葉林裡，除了繁殖季節外，它們都是群居的，通常以三到十二個為一組。且有非常明顯的保護領域傾向。
- 牠們的飛行時直線前進，且排列呈現出一定秩序。這有時被稱為“長尾型”。
- 牠們的繁殖季約在每年3月至7月，一夫一妻制。每年約生育二次，每次約產下3至8顆蛋。
- 台灣藍鵲是食腐動物和雜食動物。牠們的食物包括蛇、囓齒動物、小昆蟲、腐肉、雞蛋和其他鳥類的幼雛、植物、水果和種子。
- 臺灣藍鵲是臺灣原住民鄒、邵、布農等族的神鳥。在南島語族共有的大洪水神話中，很久以前族人因大洪水瀕臨滅族，臺灣藍鵲犧牲自己帶回火種挽救族人。
References 參考資料
- Wikipedia: Taiwan blue magpie
- 百科知識: 台灣藍鵲[台灣特有鳥類]
- 維基百科: 台灣藍鵲
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