Birding Taiwan (and a bit of China): Gail Mackiernan

The beautiful country of Taiwan, the Fragrant Isle, is rich in tradition - and spectacular wildlife. Its coasts, mountains, and parks host thirty-three endemic birds, as well as regional rarities like Fairy Pitta. It is no wonder that Taiwan is a “must stop” on every world birder’s travels. In 2016, Gail joined a BirdTour Asia trip that explored this beautiful country from top to bottom. All the expected (and some unexpected) bird species were seen, from tiny Flamecrests to a towering Siberian Crane. A short post-trip extension to mainland China added more goodies, including Cabot’s Tragopan and the critically endangered Chinese Crested Tern.
Gail Mackiernan is a biological oceanographer with expertise on the Chesapeake Bay. Gail has co-authored reports on the health of the bay while working for the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program, and has previously served as research director for the University of Maryland Sea Grant College. Gail started birdwatching seriously in high school, took a “break” during grad school, and revived her interest about 40 years ago. She has traveled to all 7 continents along with her husband in search of birds.
Talk presented on November 14, 2024.