Taiwan yuhina

Yuhina brunneiceps

Photo by Robert Tec (Wikipedia)

Common name:
Taiwan yuhina (en); iuína-da-Formosa (pt); yuhina de Taiwan (fr); yuhina de Formosa (es);
braunkopfyuhina (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Timaliidae

Range:
This species is endemic to Taiwan, being mostly found on the eastern side of the island.

Size:
These birds are 12-13 cm long and weigh 10-13 g.

Habitat:
The Taiwan yuhina is found in temperate and tropical moist forests, including broad-leaved and mixed broad-leaved and coniferous forests at altitudes of 1.000-3.000 m.

Diet:
They feed mostly on the nectar of Magnoliaceae, Elaeagnaceae and Salicaceae, also eating fruits, berries and flowers, and also some small insects.

Breeding:
Taiwan yuhinas breed in March-September. They are cooperative breeders, forming groups of 2-8 individuals, all of which help raise the chicks and defend the territory. The nest is bowl-shaped and made of moss, ferns, silver grass and roots, being fixed to a tree branch with spider webs. It is lined with ferns. The female lays 4-8 light green or blue eggs with yellowish-brown markings, which are incubated for 12-16 days. the chicks fledge 10-14 days after hatching. Each group may raise up to 3 broods per season.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a relatively large breeding range and a global population estimated at 100.000-1.000.000 individuals. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction and fragmentation, but it is not considered threatened at present.