Birds of Prey Bar | Nuit Blanche Taipei 2023

Raising a glass to experience a story about Taipei’s Birds of Prey

In the spirit of “nighttime birdwatching,” we’ve got an extraordinary all-night drinking experience for those of you who aren’t ready to head home just yet and for Taipei’s resident Birds of Prey – welcome to the “Birds of Prey Bar.”

For 2023’s Taipei Nuit Blanche, we’ve partnered up with the “Taiwan Raptor Research Association” to connect eight bars in the Xinyi district, each dedicated to a different urban raptor. They’ve concocted themed drinks, all aimed at combining conservation with the joy of bar-hopping, so you can discover the stories of the city’s raptors while you savor your cocktails. Bartenders have drawn inspiration from the raptors’ habitats, behaviors, and even their distinctive calls to create eight unique concoctions.

Throughout the creative process, our goal has been to echo the “wildness” of these Birds of Prey, offering event participants a sensory experience beyond just taste. Collaborating with perfumers, we’ve developed four “Raptor Perfumes” designed to be enjoyed alongside the raptor-themed drinks. These fragrances aim to immerse participants in the living environments of these raptors through olfactory memory, bringing a novel and amusing five-senses experience to the Birds of Prey Bar.

Codename: Birds of Prey Bar. Eight bars, one night of wild revelry during the Taipei Nuit Blanche “Birds of Prey Bar” event, every themed drink you enjoy means that the bar will donate 10% of its proceeds to the Taiwan Raptor Research Association. This money goes towards the rescue and rehabilitation of raptors, ecological education, and research. Our hope is that this event won’t just provide a feast for the eyes and taste buds but will also raise public awareness and contribute to making Taipei a city where humans and animals coexist harmoniously.

What are raptors, and what’s their connection to us?

Birds of Prey are birds that hunt and forage by circling and cruising. Taiwan is home to 48 different species of Birds of Prey, ranging from high mountains to shallow hills, wetlands, rivers, and seas. While this might sound far removed from our daily lives, urban ecosystems have been improving in recent years, leading some Birds of Prey to inhabit our cities and coexist with us. For instance, in Taipei’s parks during the day, you can spot the Crested Goshawk hunting squirrels, and while hiking in Elephant Mountain, you might hear the call of the Crested Serpent Eagle and see it soaring.

However, Birds of Prey living in urban areas often face threats like car accidents, collisions with tall glass buildings, and more, resulting in injuries and fatalities. The collaboration between the “Taiwan Raptor Research Association” and Taipei Nuit Blanche aims to give a voice to these wild animals and promote Taipei as a livable city where humans and animals share equal rights.