Yamamusume (Mountain Girl) - Formosan blue magpie

Japanese: ヤマムスメ(山娘) - ヤマムスメ（英語表記）Formosan blue magpie

A passerine bird of the Crow family. A species endemic to Taiwan, it is closely related to the Chinese crow. Total length is about 53 cm. The head and thorax are black, while the rest of the body and the long tail are purple-blue. The tips of each tail feather are white, and there is a black band inside the white spots. The beak and legs are red. They mainly live in mountain forests at altitudes of about 200 to 1,800 meters, but can also be seen in forests on flat land. They usually live in small flocks, and the sight of them flying with their long tail feathers fluttering behind their bodies is very beautiful. They are sometimes introduced to Japan and kept in zoos and other places.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

スズメ目カラス科の鳥。台湾の特産種で，中国のサンジャクに縁が近い。全長約53cm。頭部から胸部は黒く，体の他の部分と長い尾は紫青色。各尾羽の先端は白く，白斑の内側には黒帯がある。くちばしと脚は赤い。主として標高約200～1800mの山地の森林にすむが，平地の林に現れることもある。ふつう小群をつくって生活し，長い尾羽を体の後方になびかせて飛ぶ姿はたいへん美しい。ときどき日本に移入され，動物園などで飼育されている。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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