Tri-Mountain National Scenic Area Headquarters

Grey-faced Buzzard

• Photographer: Shun-Zhang Chen
• Activity area: Baguashan

Speaking of the National Day bird, the bird of prey that crosses the border is the grey-faced buzzard. Maybe lots of people do not know about Taiwan, but hundreds of birds, including the gray-faced buzzard, have long regarded Taiwan as a necessary place for early visits. Taiwan's ecological environment and landscape have left a lasting impression in their life memories.

The head of the gray-faced buzzard is grayish brown, with white eyebrows and throat, and a black horizontal stripe in the middle. Its body is reddish brown, and has interlacing white stripes and brown stripes on its chest. Mature females are slightly larger than males, with wingspans of about 102.5-115 cm.

Every October, grey-faced buzzards fly from the north across Taiwan to the south for the winter, which is why it is known as the National Day bird. In March of the following year, they return from the south, flying across Taiwan to the north for breeding. Baguashan in Changhua County is one of the important posts for them to return to the north, and this is the best time to watch them!