When the Portuguese revealed Taiwan to the western world, they dubbed it "Formosa" – The Beautiful Island. Although, in a modern era, Taiwan is best known for its political defiance of mainland China, the island has a wealth of natural resources, including some of the most stunning mountain landscapes and birds in Asia. Taiwan is a continental island, lying 160 km off the coast of China, formed by the action of tectonic plates on the eastern edge of the Asian shelf; this dramatic uplift has given it the most remarkable topography. Although only 400 km long and, on average, 150 km wide, the island rises from a shallow western coastal plain to reach 4000 m at its highest peak.

Lying on the tropic of cancer, the coastal lowlands are distinctly warm and muggy, but with over 15 peaks that reach above 3000 m, the interior of the island comprises a series of concentric vegetation bands that terminate in temperate coniferous forest and arctic-like alpine tundra at the highest limits. The Taiwanese bird list now stands at an impressive 450 species. What very few birders know about Taiwan is that it has a host of fascinating endemic birds. Currently numbering 15 endemics, the eventual application of the Phylogenetic Species Concept (PSC) should see at least five other endemic sub-species raised to full species status. Added to the wealth of resident birds are a suite of migrants that occupy the island on passage between Siberia and tropical Asia between September and March. Our tour is timed to take maximum advantage of both resident and migrant avifaunas.

Day 1: Taipei. Arrival in Taipei. We may have time to check out the local botanical gardens for Malayan Tiger-Heron, Light-vented Bulbul, and Japanese White-eye. Our first evening is spent in Taipei’s busy, eccentric night-markets enjoying Dim-sum or trying the unique Taiwanese dumplings.

Day 2: Tsimen. We explore the west coast, driving into Taiwan’s rugged mountainous interior in the afternoon. A stop at Tsimen may reveal the electric blue Formosan Whistling-Thrush, and the impressive Taiwan Blue Magpie

Days 3-6: Mountainous interior. We explore many sites including Anmashan, Ao-wen Da and Chingjing for 12 of Taiwan’s 15 endemics, including the World’s best site for both Swinhoe’s and Mikado Pheasants. The pheasants are called “the kings of the mist” in local parlance, a celebration of their elegant plumage and secretive nature. Later we head inland to the enchanting forests around the central village of Wushe. Our targets include Alishan Bush-Warbler and babblers such as the crested Taiwan Yuhina, moustached Taiwan Sibia, Steere’s Liocichla, and Taiwan Barwing. Joining the endemics in the mixed species parties are the cute, tail-less Pygmy Wren-Babbler as well as Vivid Niltava, Rusty-fronted Scimitar Babbler, Himalayan Treepie, Red-headed Tit, and Brown Bullfinch.

Day 7: Mt. Hohuan Shan and Taroko Gorge. Today we travel via the highest pass in Taiwan, looking for the highest altitude endemics including the Taiwan Laughing Thrush, Taiwan Firecrest and Johnstone’s Bush Robin. This high altitude pass also holds Ashy Woodpigeon, Alpine Accentor, Vinaceous Rosefinch, Bevan’s Bullfinch, and Jungle Crow. Passing Hohuanshan we travel on Taiwan’s most scenic road and along one of Asia’s seven natural wonders, Taroko Gorge. This tortuous journey through vertical marble cliffs along the side of a deep, steep-sided gorge is not to be missed. As well as being scenically spectacular, this road offers us an excellent shot at seeing the Styan’s Bulbul. Unfortunately, this threatened endemic's closest congener, the Chinese Bulbul, seems to be displacing it, and some hybridisation is occurring, pushing this locally common endemic farther south. We will spend the night along the east coast at the town of Hualien.

Day 8: Hualien-Taitung. Primarily a travel day, we will take a long drive through lowland agricultural matrix, making our way to the industrial city of Tainan. En route we will stop at Chiphen, some low-altitude forest, to look for Taiwan Bamboo Partridge and the magical Maroon Oriole. We might also see the Black-naped Monarch, Black Bulbul and Spot-breasted Scimitar-Babbler, or some migrant passserines such as the magical Siberian Rubythroat, Grey Wagtail, Oriental Tree Pipit, Brown Shrike, Red-flanked Bluetail, Arctic Warbler, Black-faced Bunting, Daurian Redstart, White’s Thrush, Red-bellied Thrush, Pale Thrush, and Dusky Thrush.

Day 9: Taitung-Tainan and Tsengwen Estuary. Although Tainan is a busy industrial city, it is also on the edge of the Tseng-wen estuary, one of the most important on the Asia-pacific flyway. Between September and March, Tsengwen holds 200 individuals, some 50% of the world population, of the endangered Black-faced Spoonbill. The spoonbill, however, is not the only endangered species inhabiting Tsengwen; the migratory Saunder’s Gull also frequents this wonderful estuary, and these species share their home with waders and ducks galore that come to Taiwan to escape the Siberian winters. Other migrants that we will look for include Red-throated Pipit, Oriental Reed Warbler, Yellow Wagtail, Slaty-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Black-tailed Gull, Common Gull, Black-headed Gull, Spot-billed Duck, Northern Shoveller, Green-winged Teal, Eurasian Widgeon, Pintail, Tufted Duck, Hen Harrier, Little Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Mongolian Plover, Greater Sand Plover, American Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Red-necked Stint, Long-toed Stint, Dunlin, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Great Knot, Redshank and Spotted Redshank. We will spent the night in Tainan.

Day 10: Tainan-Taipei. In the morning we shall return to Tsengwen for more waterbirds, before heading back towards Taipei in the afternoon. We shall stop in at Kuan-Du Nature Park in Taipei in the late afternoon for more migratory waterbirds.

Day 11: Departure. Transfer to the airport for onward flights home or join our ‘Best of the Philippines’ tour.