The Mikado pheasant is one of Taiwan’s most beautiful bird species. But you’ll need a lot of luck to spot one in the wild. Recently, one birdwatcher had the unusual luck of spotting two.
The Mikado pheasant is an endangered species of bird endemic to Taiwan. With their numbers low, it’s only natural that they aren’t easy to spot.
That’s why it must have an unforgettable moment for one birdwatcher when he recently spotted both a male and a female in the mountains of Taichung as they were looking for food.
Even if you’re not a bird expert, you might find the bird a little bit familiar, at least if you’ve ever seen Taiwanese currency. That’s because an image of these birds is on every NT$1,000 bill.
The birdwatcher who found the birds says that although March to April is their mating season, they are still not the kind of birds you see often, and so he was lucky to have spotted them.
The Mikado pheasant is mostly found at high altitudes in remote mountain areas--places such as the Central Mountain Range and Yushan National Park. The Forestry Bureau warns people to avoid damaging the birds’ habitat or scaring the birds if they are ever lucky enough to come across them.