Photo: 黃春貴 Chuenguey Hwang / CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Taiwan Shortwing
Brachypteryx goodfellowi
Taiwan Shortwing (Brachypteryx goodfellowi) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
The Taiwan Shortwing (Brachypteryx goodfellowi) is a member of the Muscicapidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 17.7 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Muscicapidae Chats, Old World Flycatchers
- Genus Brachypteryx
- Species goodfellowi
Quick facts
- Weight
- 17.7 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Taiwan Shortwing is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Taiwan Shortwing is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Taiwan Shortwing (Brachypteryx goodfellowi) is a member of the Muscicapidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR montane Taiwan.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 17.7 g, with a wing length of about 6.4 cm and a tail of around 5.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 36,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Taiwan Shortwing?
The Taiwan Shortwing is a small bird that weighs around 17.7 g.
Where does the Taiwan Shortwing live?
The Taiwan Shortwing is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR montane Taiwan, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Taiwan Shortwing belong to?
The Taiwan Shortwing (Brachypteryx goodfellowi) belongs to the Muscicapidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Taiwan Shortwing eat?
The Taiwan Shortwing is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Taiwan Shortwing migrate?
The Taiwan Shortwing is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Taiwan Shortwing endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Taiwan Shortwing make?
1 real field recording of the Taiwan Shortwing — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Taiwan Shortwing's range?
The Taiwan Shortwing has a mapped global range of about 36,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Muscicapidae
A field guide to the Muscicapidae family — 355 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.