陽明山國家公園全球資訊網-英文網陽明山國家公園全球資訊網-英文網

An endemic species, the color of the Swinhoe's frog may vary greatly. Some are green with black-brown spots, while others are yellow-brown with green spots. However, all are capable of adjusting the shade of their color to better blend in with their surroundings. Males instinctually construct nests, and mating takes place from May to September. Eggs are laid on rocks alongside rivers and streams. Bulls (males) attract females with a chirping, bird-like call, and females tend to choose the largest bulls with deeper voices for mating.

Its body is about fifteen centimeters long. When it ascends into the sky, its silhouette seems to resemble a helicopter taking off, while the clarity of its song reverberates in the ears like music. Hearing the skylark's call without ever catching a glimpse of it is typical of its territorial behavior. Often seen in farming areas of plains, they also appear in wide open areas like river valleys, coastlines, and prairies.

Its Chinese name, the 'five-colored bird', results from the bird's five different colors: red, yellow, black, blue, and green. It is also sometimes called 'flowery monk' because its call resembles the sound of wooden fish that monks hit with mallets. The black-browed barbet builds nests on dead trees in broad-leaf forests, and its main staple is berries.

Among the numerous butterfly species, the chestnut tiger is the species that appears earliest during the butterfly-watching season. During the May 'plum rain' season, many chestnut tigers form quite a spectacle as they feed on orchid nectar along the trail from Erziping parking lot to Mt. Datun main peak.

The most commonly seen wild animal in the forest, the squirrel has a brown body and a distinctive red-brown stomach. They can be seen climbing up tree trunks or prancing among the branches with their bushy gray tails in regions at sea level as well as in the central mountain range up to an altitude of 2,000 meters.

Latin name: Pinus luchuensis Mayr. The trunk is straight and tall with a rough, gray-brown bark and cracked vertical grooves which flake off irregularly. Branches are categorized into long and short boughs. Branches are whorled and grow horizontally. These trees are currently at risk of contracting pine wood nematodes and each year many trees are infected and die.

Latin name: Pellionia radicans (Sieb. & Zucc.) Wedd. Pellionia radicans is a perennial herb which has single leaves arranged alternately to the stem. The leaf base is auricular and edges are serrated. The leaf shape is pinnate with the end of veins forming into a network. Its leaves are arranged in step-like formation which is useful for the transfer of water and weak sunlight, making it a dominant species in wet, enclosed forests. The entire plant is meaty with few hairs. Flowers are inconspicuous with sharp, green sepals. The five flower petals are light purple and translucent. It is an endemic species to Taiwan and is found in low altitudes in central and northern Taiwan.

Latin name: Begonia formosana (Hayata) Masam. Begonia formosana is a meaty herbaceous plant native to the tropics and subtropics. It is one of the most common plants in the mountains of North Taiwan. The begonia likes growing in clusters on shady rocks and boulders often soaked with water. It can be found near rivers and valleys in Yangmingshan.

Latin name: Acer serrulatum Hayata Every year in autumn the green maple's leaves turn from yellow to red, adding much color and brilliance to its surroundings. The tree's name comes from its green bark. The leaves, opposite each other on the stem, are palmate with 5 to 7 lobes and form a serrated triangle. Fruit forms in the summer and glides along with the wind.