) to insert bird names in your own language. The birdnames will automatically be translated for other users!
Upload images
Allowed image types are jpeg,png,gif
Max file size is 20MB
Description
Sun Moon Lake is the largest body of water in Taiwan. The east side of the lake resembles a sun while the west side resembles a moon, well that's what they say. Anyway, the scenery is beautiful and temples like the impressive Wenwu Temple are worth a visit. So besides the birding it is great to explore the lake and it's surroundings. The lake lies 748 m above sea level, is 27 m deep and has a circumference of 33 kilometers. Surrounding the lake are mountains and lush forests. There are many hiking and cycling trails around the lake.
There aren't that many birds to be seen on the lake itself. The wooded banks are mainly where the nice birds can be found. Although the birding is not A-level, you can still observe many interesting birds along the shores and in the forest. Among the birds you can spot are Common Teal, Taiwan Bamboo-Partridge, Black-crowned Night Heron, Malayan Night-Heron, Little Egret, Crested Serpent-Eagle, Crested Goshawk, Taiwan Barbet, Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, Bronzed Drongo, Black Bulbul, Morrison's Fulvetta and Grey Treepie.
Details
Access
Sun Moon Lake is located in Nantou County, right in the geographic center of Taiwan. Good starting point and place to park is the Xiangshan Visitor Center, located adjacent to the lake. Press P on the map for directions to a parking. Surrounding the lake are biking lanes and hiking trails for visitors.
The walking trail shown on the map is about 7 km one way. The path varies from dedicated cycling lanes to wooden boardwalks built directly over the water. If you cycle all the way around the lake (33 km) the cycling path leads visitors past major landmarks like the grand Wenwu Temple, and several other temples and piers.