Highlights from the Collection: Formosan Blue Magpie

Formosan Blue Magpies (Latin: Urocissa caerulea) belong to the corvidae family just like crows but differ in their body colors—sapphire blue plumage, black from head to breast, red bill and feet, and yellow irises. Their tails feature 40 cm long, with the two middle tail feathers being longer and bright blue while the rest being black with white tips. Brilliantly colored as such, they always leave a lasting impression on viewers.

Formosan Blue Magpies live in broad-leaved forests at an altitude of 300 meters to 1200 meters. They are gregarious and usually fly in small groups among trees and make squawks typical of corvidae birds. They are omnivorous and feed on small birds, rats, lizards, insects, and fruits, among which the papayas are their favorite. One can see their bowl-like nests at the tips of big trees where they live together and care for one another. Formosan Blue Magpies have a special cooperative nurturing system. During the breeding season, magpie parents tend the nestlings together with other adult magpies. They also become more aggressive in protecting their nests during this period; anything that intrudes in their territories will be attacked by flocks of blue magpies.

Books for Further reading:
Zhang Jingru et al. (1991) Taiwan Endemic Species. Taipei: Taiwan Panorama Magazine.

Wang, Zhihong (2003) Our name is Taiwan: Taiwan Endemic Species Portrait. Rhythms Monthly.

Qi, Weilian (2003)  Mammals in Taiwan: A Practical Illustrated Handbook for Field Exploration. Taipei: Big Tree Culture Enterprise Co., Ltd .

Lai Yumin (2000) Vanishing Dancers: An Album of Taiwan’s Precious and Endemic Animals Conservation. Taipei: Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan.

Related Items in Collection

Scientific Name: Urocissa caerulea
Chinese Name: 台灣藍鵲 (Taiwan Lanque)
English Name: Formosan Blue Magpie


Data identification:
Serial number: B0351s01
Description:
Endemism: endemic species of Taiwan
Conservation status: rare
Population status: common species
Migration: resident bird
Feeding location: branches of plants
Feeding habits: omnivorous
Diet: seeds, fruits, insects
Habitat: forest land
Microhabitat: broad-leaved forest
Contributor:
Photographer: Lin Pinhan
Date:
Date of photography: 03/06/2003
Source:
National Taiwan University
Management rights:
National Taiwan University


Scientific Name: Urocissa caerulea
Chinese Name: 台灣藍鵲 (Taiwan Lanque)
English Name: Formosan Blue Magpie


Data identification:
Serial number: B0351s02
Description:
Endemism: endemic species of Taiwan
Conservation status: rare
Population status: common species
Migration: resident birds
Feeding location: branches of plants
Feeding habits: omnivorous
Diet: seeds, fruits, insects.
Habitat: forest
Microhabitat: broad-leaved forest
Contributor:
Photographer: Lin Pinhan
Date:
Date of photography: 21/02/2003
Source:
National Taiwan University
Management rights:
National Taiwan University

Scientific Name: Urocissa caerulea
Chinese Name: 台灣藍鵲 (Taiwan Lanque)
English Name: Formosan Blue Magpie

(Photo not available)
Data identification:
Serial number: B0351s03
Description:
Endemism: endemic species in Taiwan
Conservation status: LC (least concerned)
Population status: common species
Migration: resident birds
Feeding location: branches of plants
Form of predation: omnivorous
Main food: seeds, fruits, insects
Habitat: forest
Microhabitat: broad-leaved forest
Contributor:
Photographer: Lin Pinhan
Date:
Date of photography: 09/10/2003
Source:
National Taiwan University
Management rights:
National Taiwan University

Scientific Name: Urocissa caerulea
Chinese Name: 台灣藍鵲 (Taiwan Lanque)
English Name: Formosan Blue Magpie
(Photo not available)

Data identification:
Serial number: B0351s04
Description:
Endemism: endemic species in Taiwan
Conservation status: rare
Population status: common species
Migration: resident birds
Feeding location: branches of plants
Feeding habits: omnivorous
Diet: seeds, fruits, insects
Habitat: forest
Microhabitat: broad-leaved forest
Contributor:
Photographer: Lin Pinhan
Date:
Date of photography: 09/10/2003
Source:
National Taiwan University
Management rights:
National Taiwan University
 

Scientific Name: Urocissa caerulea
Chinese Name: 台灣藍鵲 (Taiwan Lanque)
English Name: Formosan Blue Magpie

(Photo not available)
Data identification:  
Serial number: B0351s05
Description:
Endemism: endemic species in Taiwan
Conservation status: rare
Population status: common species
Migration: resident birds
Feeding location: branches of plants
Feeding habits: omnivorous
Diet: seeds, fruits, insects
Habitat: forest
Microhabitat: broad-leaved forest
Contributor:
Photographer: Lin Pinhan
Date:
Date of photography: 09/10/2003
Source:
National Taiwan University
Management rights:
National Taiwan University

Breeding Biology of Formosan Blue Magpies in Yangmingshan National Park (photo not available)
Data identification:
A05010482
Resource type:
Journal article
Author:
陳嘉芬 (Chen, J. F.), 傅木錦 (Poo, W. K.), 顏秀芬 (Uang, S. F.), 陳一銘 (Chen, Y. M.), 姜智育 (Chiang, C. Y.), 徐景彥 (Hsu, C. Y.)
Subject and keywords:
Formosan Blue Magpies, reproductive behavior, nest-site selection, breeding biology Yangmingshan National Park (or Mt. Yangming)
Description:
Source journal: Hwa Kang Journal of Sciences
Vol.: 22 (May 2005)
Pages: 1-12
Management rights:
National Central Library

Study on the Paintings and Sketches of the Formosan Blue Magpie (photo not available)
Data identification:
Serial number: A07009023
Resource type:
Journal article
Author:
張克齊 (Zhang Keqi)
Subject and keywords:
painting from nature, Formosan Blue Magpie, fine brush paintings of flowers and birds 
Description:
Source journal: Journal of Chinese Calligraphy and Painting
Vol.:1 (November 2006)
Pages: 155-163
Date:
Publication date: November 2006
Management rights:
National Central Library

Neigouli Trail:Home to Formosan Blue Magpies (photo not available)
Data identification:
Serial number: 101496717
Resource type:
Local document
Author:
高麗鳳 (Gao Lifeng)
Creation method: edit
Subject and keywords:
Taipei City bird watching
Publisher:
Information Department (now the Department of Information and Tourism), Taipei City Government
Date:
Publication date: October 2003
Source:
Taiwan Local Document Image Database (http://twinfo.ncl.edu.tw/local)
Language:
Chinese
Geographic range:
Area: Taipei City
Management rights:
National Central Library (http://www.ncl.edu.tw/)