General names
Information is based on dictionaries and other sources. Comments and corrections welcome.
Taiwan originally had a variety of disparate names for members of the Timaliidae, including what appear to be local names, translations from English, and Japanese names. Recently moves have been made to adopt regularised Mainland names.
The most famous of the Timaliidae is the Hwamei or Melodious Laughing Thrush, known in Chinese as the 畫眉 or 'painted eyebrow', after the distinctive pattern around its eyes. The name has been borrowed into Japanese and Vietnamese as ガビチョウ gabi-chō (画眉鳥) and Họa mi respectively.
Taiwan has its own endemic species of Hwamei, the Taiwan Hwamei 台灣畫眉 'Taiwan painted eyebrow'. In the Taiwan official names, 畫眉 is also applied to species in a number of genera, including Actinodura (Barwing), Heterophasia (Sibia), Yuhina, and Alcippe.
Other names in Taiwan include 彎嘴 ('curved bill') for the the scimitar babblers (Pomatorhinus), 山紅頭 ('mountain red-head') for the Rufous-capped Babbler (Stachyris ruficeps) and 頭烏線 ('head black stripe') for the Dusky Fulvetta (Alcippe brunnea). The Streak-throated Fulvetta (Alcippe brunnea) is known as the 灰頭花翼 'grey-headed flowery wing'. The parrotbills are known as 鸚嘴 'parrot bill'.
On the Mainland, the 眉 'eyebrow' from 画眉 has passed into use as a name for the babblers in general. In this meaning it is written with the newly-devised character 鶥 (consisting of 眉 plus the bird radical 鳥 on the right). Each genus is given its own name ending in 鶥 . The Taiwanese names have gone some way to adopting the Mainland names, notably for Pnoepyga, Garrulax, and Liocichla, although they stop short of using the character 鶥 .
| Taiwan name | Gloss | Corresponding Genus/Genera | Mainland name | Gloss |
| 畫眉 | 'huamei' | Garrulax (Hwamei only) Actinodura Heterophasia Yuhina Alcippe morissoniana |
畫眉 斑翅鶥 奇鶥 鳳鶥 雀鶥 |
'huamei' 'stripe-winged babbler' 'wondrous/strange babbler' 'phoenix babbler' 'finch/sparrow babbler' |
| 鷦眉 | 'wren babbler' | Pnoepyga | 鷦鶥 | 'wren babbler' |
| 噪眉 | 'chirping babbler' | Garrulax (except Hwamei) | 噪鶥 |
'chirping babbler' |
| 藪眉 | 'marsh babbler' | Liocichla | 藪鶥 | 'marsh babbler' |
| 彎嘴 | 'curved bill' | Pomatorhinus | 鉤嘴鶥 | 'hooked bill babbler' |
| 鸚嘴 | 'parrot bill' | Conostoma, Paradoxornis | 鴉雀 | 'crow finch/sparrow' |
Taiwanese bird lists originally gave the Pygmy Wren Babbler (Pnoepyga pusilla) as the local representative of the Pnoepyga genus. Its Chinese name was 鱗胸鷦鷯 'scaly-breasted wren', suggesting that it was a kind of wren. This is now listed as the Scaly-breasted Wren-babbler (Pnoepyga albiventer) with the Chinese name 小鷦眉 'small wren babbler'.
Liocichla steerii (Steere's Liochchla) is endemic to Taiwan. The name ヤブドリ yabu-dori 'thicket bird' was probably given by Japanese ornithologists when Japan controlled Taiwan (the bird itself was discovered in 1873 by Professor J. B. Steere of the University of Michigan). The Japanese name is written 薮鳥, where 薮 yabu is a relatively common word for 'a thicket or scrub with bushes, grass, and bamboo'. This was the origin of the former Taiwanese name, 藪鳥, pronounced in Chinese as . In Chinese, however, 藪 is a literary word meaning 'a shallow lake overgrown with wild plants'. Since the liocichlas live in high forests, not lakes, it seems that the Japanese meaning is the intended one. In Mainland China, the name 藪鳥 has been modified to 藪鶥 , literally 'marsh babbler', substituting 鶥 'babbler' for 鳥 'bird', and the name has been extended to all liocichlas. The latest list of Taiwanese names substitutes the Mainland name for the original Japanese name.
Species names
SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH |
CHINESE |
JAPANESE |
OTHER |
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Latin |
English |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Chinese (Mainland) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Other J |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
| Pomatorhinus | ||||||||
Pomatorhinus erythrogenys Note  |
Rusty-cheeked scimitar babbler (P. erythrocnemis = Spot-breasted scimitar babbler) |
大彎嘴 'large curved bill' |
鏽臉鉤嘴鶥 'rusty-faced hooked-bill babbler' Note |
大彎嘴畫眉 'large curved bill hwamei' |
マルハシ (丸嘴) maru-hashi 'curved bill' |
Họa mi đất má trắng 'white-cheeked ground hoa mi' Họa mi đất ngực đốm 'speckle-breasted ground hoa mi' (13) Note |
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| Pomatorhinus ruficollis |
Streak-breasted scimitar babbler Rufous-necked scimitar babbler |
小彎嘴 'small curved bill' |
棕頸鉤嘴鶥 'reddish-brown-necked hooked-bill babbler' |
小彎嘴畫眉 'small curved bill hwamei' 竹腳畫眉 'bamboo foot hwamei' 小偃月嘴嘈雜鳥 'small supine (?) moon-bill noisy bird' 小鉤嘴嘈鶥 'small hooked-bill noisy babbler' 小鉤嘴鶥 'small hooked-bill babbler' 小眉 'small brow' (= 'small babbler') |
ヒメマルハシ (姫丸嘴) hime maru-hashi 'princess curved bill' |
Họa mi đất ngực luốc 'grey-breasted ground hoa mi' |
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| Pnoepyga | ||||||||
| Pnoepyga albiventer |
Scaly-breasted wren-babbler Scaly-breasted wren babbler Greater wren babbler |
小鷦眉 'small wren babbler' Note |
鱗胸鷦鶥 'scaly breasted wren babbler' (1, 2, 3, 4) 大鱗胸鷦鶥 'large scaly-breasted wren babbler' (5) or 大鱗鷦鶥 'large scaly wren babbler' (Alternative in 5) |
白腹鷦鶥 'white-bellied wren babbler' (6) |
ヒメサザイチメドリ (姫鷦鷯知目鳥) hime sazai chime-dori 'princess wren chime-bird' |
Khướư đất đuôi cụt 'short-tailed ground khuou' |
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| Stachyris | ||||||||
| Stachyris ruficeps Stachyridopsis ruficeps |
Rufous-capped babbler Red-headed tree babbler |
山紅頭 'mountain red head' |
紅頭穗鶥 'red-headed cereal-ear babbler' |
ズアカチメドリ (頭赤知目鳥) zu-aka chime-dori 'red-headed chime-bird' |
Khướư bụi đầu đỏ 'red-headed bush khuou' Khướư bụi hung đỏ 'reddish-headed bush khuou' (13) |
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| Garrulax | ||||||||
| Garrulax albogularis |
White-throated laughing-thrush White-throated laughingthrush White-throated laughing thrush |
白喉噪眉 'white-throated chirping babbler' 白喉笑鶇 'white-throated laughing-thrush' (former official name) |
白喉噪鶥 'white-throated chirping babbler' |
ノドジロガビチョウ (喉白画眉鳥) nodo-jiro gabi-chō 'white-throated gabi bird' |
Khướư họng vàng 'golden-throated khuou' |
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| Garrulax poecilorhynchus |
Rusty laughing-thrush Rusty laughingthrush Rufous laughing thrush |
棕噪眉 'reddish-brown chirping babbler' 竹鳥 'bamboo bird' (former official name) |
棕噪鶥 'reddish-brown chirping babbler' |
タケドリ (竹鳥) take-dori 'bamboo bird' |
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| Garrulax canorus |
Hwamei or Melodious laughing-thrush Melodious laughing thrush |
大陸畫眉 'mainland painted eyebrow' |
畫眉 'painted eyebrow' |
ガビチョウ (画眉鳥) gabi-chō 'gabi bird' (from the Chinese huamei) |
大陸ホイビイ (?) tairiku hoibii 'mainland hoibi' (from the Internet) |
Họa mi 'hoa mi' (from the Chinese huamei') |
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| Garrulax canorus taewanus | Taiwan Hwamei | 台灣畫眉 'Taiwan painted eyebrow' |
- | ホイビイ (?) hoibii 'hoibi' (from the Internet) |
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| Garrulax morrisonianus |
White-whiskered laughing-thrush White-whiskered laughingthrush Mt Morrison laughing thrush |
台灣噪眉 'Taiwan chirping babbler' 金翼白眉 'golden-winged white eyebrow' (former official name) |
玉山噪鶥 'Yushan chirping babbler' |
キンバネホイビイ (金羽ホイビイ) kin-bane hoibii 'gold-winged hoibii' (hoibii from Taiwanese bai mei or hua mei?) タイワンキンバネガビチョウ (台湾金羽画眉鳥) Taiwan kin-bane gabi-chō 'Taiwan gold-winged gabi bird' |
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Latin |
English |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Chinese (Mainland) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Other J |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
| Liocichla | ||||||||
| Liocichla steerii |
Steere's liocichla Taiwan liocichla |
黃胸藪眉 'yellow-breasted marsh babbler' 藪鳥 'marsh bird' (former official name) |
黄痣藪鶥 'yellow-moled marsh babbler' (1, 2, 3, 4) 黄胸藪鶥 'yellow-breasted marsh babbler' (5) |
ヤブドリ (薮鳥) yabu-dori 'thicket bird' |
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| Actinodura | ||||||||
| Actinodura morrisoniana |
Taiwan barwing Formosan barwing |
紋翼畫眉 'fine-pattern wing huamei' |
台灣斑翅鶥 'Taiwanese streaked-wing babbler' (1, 2, 3, 4) 栗頭斑翅鶥 'chestnut-headed streaked-wing babbler' (5) |
シマドリ (縞鳥) shima dori 'striped bird' |
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| Alcippe | ||||||||
| Alcippe cinereiceps |
Streak-throated fulvetta Brown-headed tit babbler |
灰頭花翼 'grey-headed flowery wing' |
褐頭雀鶥 'brown-headed sparrow/finch babbler' |
アリサンチメドリ (アリサン知目鳥) Arisan chime-dori 'Ali-shan chime-bird' |
Lách tách họng vạch 'exposed throat fulvetta' |
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| Alcippe brunnea |
Dusky fulvetta Gould's fulvetta Brown-capped tit babbler Gould's tit babbler |
頭烏線 'head black line' |
褐頂雀鶥 'brown-capped sparrow/finch babbler' |
褐雀鶥 'brown sparrow/finch babbler' (6, 7) 烏眉褐雀鶥 'black browed brown sparrow/finch babbler' 山烏鶥 'mountain black babbler' 山烏頭線 'mountain black head line' |
チメドリ (知目鳥) chime-dori 'chime-bird' |
Lách tách đầu nâu 'brown headed fulvetta' |
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| Alcippe morrisonia |
Grey-cheeked fulvetta Common tit babbler |
繡眼畫眉 'embroidered eye (white-eye) huamei' |
灰眶雀鶥 'grey-eye-framed sparrow/finch babbler' |
白眶雀鶥 'white-eye-framed sparrow/finch babbler' (6, 7, clashes with following species) 白目眶仔 'white-eye eye-frame-child' 山白目眶 'mountain white eye frame' 白眼環眉 'white eye circle eyebrow' 白文鳥 'white culture bird' (文鸟 wén-niǎo is used for the genus Lonchura). |
メジロチメドリ (目白知目鳥) me-jiro chime-dori 'white-eyed chime-bird' |
Lách tách má xám 'grey-cheeked fulvetta' Lách tách đầu xám 'grey-headed fulvetta' (13) |
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| Heterophasia | ||||||||
| Heterophasia auricularis |
White-eared sibia Taiwan sibia |
白耳畫眉 'white-eared huamei' |
白耳奇鶥 'white-eared rare babbler' |
ミミジロチメドリ (耳白知目鳥) mimi-jiro chime-dori 'white-eared chime-bird' |
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| Yuhina | ||||||||
| Yuhina brunneiceps |
Taiwan yuhina Formosan yuhina |
冠羽畫眉 'crest-feather huamei' |
褐頭鳳鶥 'brown-headed phoenix babbler' |
カンムリチメドリ (冠知目鳥) kanmuri chime-dori 'crested chime-bird' |
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| Erpornis | ||||||||
| Erpornis zantholeuca Yuhina zantholeuca  |
White-bellied yuhina White-bellied tree babbler White-bellied herpornis |
綠畫眉 'green huamei' |
白腹鳳鶥 'white-bellied phoenix babbler' |
アオチメドリ (青知目鳥) ao-chime-dori 'blue/green chime-bird' |
Khướư mào bụng trắng 'white-bellied crested khuou' (13) |
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| Paradoxornis | ||||||||
| Paradoxornis webbianus |
Vinous-throated parrotbill Rufous-headed crowtit Vinous-breasted parrotbill Vinous-throated crowtit |
粉紅鸚嘴 'pink parrot bill' |
棕頭鴉雀 'reddish-brown headed crow finch' (2, 3, 4, 5) 棕翅缘鴉雀 'reddish-brown wing-edge crow finch' (1) |
烏形山雀 'crow-shaped mountain finch (=tit)' 驢糞球兒 'mule shit ball' 黄頭 'yellow head' 紅頭仔 'red-head' |
ダルマエナガ (達磨柄長) daruma e-naga 'daruma long-handle' |
붉은머리오목눈이 bulgeun-meori-omongnuni 'red-headed omongnuni (long-tailed tit)' |
Khướư mỏ dẹt bé 'baby flat-billed khuou' |
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| Paradoxornis nipalensis |
Black-throated parrotbill Blyth's parrotbill Black-throated crowtit |
黃羽鸚嘴 'yellow feather parrot bill' |
黑喉鴉雀 'black-throated crow finch' (1, 2, 4, 5) 橙額鴉雀 'orange-forehead crow finch' (3) |
橙背鴉雀 'orange-backed crow finch' (6) |
キバネダルマエナガ (黄羽達磨柄長) ki-bane daruma e-naga 'yellow-winged daruma long-handle' |
Khướư mỏ dẹt họng đen 'black-throated flat-billed khuou' |
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Latin |
English |
Chinese (Taiwan) |
Chinese (Mainland) |
Other Ch |
Japanese |
Other J |
Korean |
Vietnamese |
Floating Menu by Milonic |
Tool tips by Walter Zorn |
