TAIPEI: Autumn bird Watching season has begun in eastern Taiwan and to start things off a flock of rare migratory Chinese goshawks (Accipiter soloensis) has been spotted in the Chihnan Natural Education Center in Hualien county.

"The rare raptors are now in the Chihnan National Forest Park's mountain region and are expected to fly south to Pingtung county early next month on their way to Southeast Asia for wintering," said an official at the Hualien Forest District Office.

The official said his office will sponsor bird-watching activities in the Liyushan mountain area late this month and in early October to coincide with the arrival of the Chinese goshawks and to help local bird watchers get a glimpse of the rare species and better understand its ecology.

According to the official, Taiwan is rich in bird life, with diverse species seen in cool needle-leaf forests, temperate broad-leaf forests, tropical mixed forests, on plains, estuaries and wetlands.

"Taiwan is a paradise of birds, and an increasing number of foreign tourists are traveling to Taiwan for bird watching," the official said.

The Chihnan Forest Park, officially known as Chihnan National Forest Recreation Area, is renowned for its diverse bird population and has long been a popular bird-watching venue, he added.

The Chinese goshawk, also known as the grey frog hawk or Chinese sparrow hawk, is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors, such as eagles, buzzards and harriers.

The bird breeds in Southeast China, Taiwan, Korea and Siberia, and usually winters in Indonesia and Philippines, passing through the rest of Southeast Asia.

It is 30-36cm in length, with the female larger than the male. The adult has prominent black wing tips.

Its population is estimated at between 10,000 and 100,000 birds.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 09/22/2009 page2)