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Birds of Japan
Okinawa RailThis flightless bird is endemic and restricted to the northern subtropical forest of Okinawa island, the forest of Yanbaru.
Steller's Sea EagleMassive sea eagle with bright yellow large bill, breeds from Kamchatka and shores of Sea of Okhotsk and winters in northern Japan. Large flocks can be seen in eatern Hokkaido in winter.
Red-crowned CraneLarge white crane with red crown and black forehead, neck. and tertials. Locally common resident in eastern Hokkaido but very rare elsewhere.
Bonin White-eyeThe Bonin White-eye is a small yellow and grey bird endemic to the Hahajima of Ogasawara Islands.
Japanese Wood PigeonThe photo is the subspecies C. j. nitens (which used to occur on the Ogasawara and Iwo Islands) is almost certainly extinct.
Japanese WoodpeckerThis medium-sized woodpecker is endemic to Japan. Inhabits evergreen forest and desiduous forests. It is also well adapted in urban areas, sometimes seen in small parks in Tokyo.
Japanese Pigmy WoodpeckerSmall-sized woodpecker restricted to East Asia. Well adapted in urban areas, oftern found in small parks of Tokyo.
Mountain Hawk EagleLarge uncommon eagle, resident in deep mountain forests
Northern GoshawkNorthern Goshawk, beautiful hawk have very wide range, nothern Eurasia and America.
Japanese WagtailVery common but endemic to Japan. It is similar to the white wagtail but face is black.
White WagtailMost common wagtail widespread throughout Eurasia.
Green PheasantIt is the National Bird of Japan and also endemic.Common residents from Honshu to Yakushima, often found in cultivated fields and river banks.
Copper PheasantReddish brown pheasant. Male has very long tail. Endemic to Japan and inhabits in mountain forests.
Grey-faced BuzzardSummer migrants hawk. Main diet is frogs. Number is declining because of change of agriculture, however we still can observe thousands of grey-faced buzzards migrating to south in some place of Japan.
Common BuzzardA Common Buzard caught a frog in February. Widely distibuted across template Eurasia including Japan.
Japanese Night HeronThis small heron has reddish-brown upperparts, dark crown and chesnut head. Breeds only in Japan and winters in Phillippines and southern China.
Malayan Night HeronA male Malayan Night Heron menaces other male in breeding season. Distribute widely throuout southeast Asia but only in Yaeyama islands in Japan.
Oriental StorkLarge waterbird once common but become extinct in 1970s. in wild. Few birds come to Japan in winter.
Japanese AccentorJapan endemic dark coloured songbird. Inhabits subalpine areas. Easier to observe in winter when they come down and stays in bushy grasslands.
Japanese RobinBreed in Japan and south Sakhalin. Male has a bright dark-orange face and breast.
Japanese Yellow BuntingBreeds only in Japan and winters in south China, Taiwan and Philipines. Uncommon summer visitor.
Japanese White-eyeFlowers of Japanese Apricot tree attract Japanese White-eye, a common nectar feeder.
Japanese GrosbeakLarge finch with very large bill. Common resident in Japan.
HawfinchMedium-large finch that breeds in northern Eurasia from Europe to northern Japan. Common winter visitor to open forests.
Ruddy KingfisherReddish Kingfisher, uncommon summer visitor northern Japan and fairy common residents in southern island. The races of southern islands have purplish-red back.
Eurasian CootWidespread in Eurasia even from Europe east to India, northern china and Japan. Also to north Africa and Austraria. White bill and black body.
Common MoorhenWidespread in temprate and tropical Eurasia. Has striking red frontal shield and yellow tipped red bill.
Bull-Headed ShrikeThe most common shrike often seen in cultivated field in Japan.
Great TitThe Great Tit caught an insect in the snow. Great because of its abundance throughout North Eurasia. A black tie like band on the berry is the characteristic of the Tit.
Daurian RedstartA common winter bird found in cultivated fields and house yard.
Meadow BuntingVery common bird. You'll see the bird almost always if you go to grasslands in Japan.
Saunders's GullSmall gull with black head and white eye-ring. The total population of the gull is said to be small. Some winters in Japan.
Black Headed GullMedium-small sized gull often seen at inland water of Tokyo in winter. Usually the gull's head in Japan is white because the birds has black head only in breeding season.
White-throated NeedletailLarge dark swift with needle-like tail tips. However, the needles is not visible in the field because they fly so fast.
Eurasian Tree SparrowAbundunt resident in wooded urban areas and cultivated fields. Has disitnctive black spot on cheeks.
Black Faced BuntingThere are two races of Black Faced Bunting in Japan. This photo is personata, has dark greenish head. Breeds in maouontain area of Honshu and winters in warmer areas. Common in city parks in winter.
Blue Rock ThrushThe Blue Rock Thrush breeds widely in southern Europe and northwest Africa, and from central Asia to northern China and Malaysia including Japan.
Dusky ThrushAbundant winter visitor to cultivated fields and open forest.
Alpine AccentorThe Alpine Accentor is a small passerine bird found throughout the mountains of southern temperate Europe and Asia at heights above 2000m. It can be seen often hiking in Japan Alps. It winters more widely at lower latitudes
Grey HeronGrey large heron distribute to many counties.
Large-billed CrowOne of the two common crow inhabits in Japan, characterized by thick black bill with down curved mandible and peaked forehead.
Carrion CrowOne of the two common crow inhabits in Japan, slightly smaller than the other with rounder head.
Brown Boobyhe Brown Booby is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae. Their heads and backs are black, and their bellies are white.
Mandarin DuckVery beautiful duck breeds only in Korea, Taiwan, sourthern china and Japan. Found in mountain streams.
Baikal TealBreeds only in north-east asia. Winters in south-west Asia. Uncommon winter visitor in Japan.
Common TealMale has dark chestnut head with grassy-green patch on eyes. Breed across north asia and common winter visitor to freshwater lakes and ponds in Japan.
Common PochardMedium sized diving duck with males having reddish head. Common winter visitor in Japan.
Greater ScaupMedium sized diving duck. Common winter visitor in Japan. Often form a large flock.
Tufted DuckMedium sized diving duck with males having black head with long crest and white flanks. Common winter visitor in Japan.
Spot-billed DuckBreeds in Japan and temprate Asia. Abundunt on freshwater lakes. Have dark bill with yellow tip.
Northern PintailMales have long tail and grey body. Common winter visitor to lakesand coastal shallow waters.
Northern ShovelerMedium-sized duck with spatulate duck. Common winter visitor to lakesand coastal shallow waters.
Eurasian WigeonMale has reddish-brown head with golden-brown forehead. Common winter visitor to lakes and shallow coastal waters.
Little GrebeSmall grebe, common resident often found in ponds and lakes. Widespread in tropical and temprate Eurasia.
Great Crested GrebeLarge grebe with black crown and white face. Common winter visitor to coastal waters in Japan. Small number breed in northen Japan.
Black-necked GrebeSmall grebe, common winter visitor to coastal waters.
Northern LapwingLarge plover with striking color pattern and thin crest. Breed across temprate Eurasia, common winter visitor to sothern Korea and Japan.
Eurasian OystercatcherBlack and white wade and orange-red bill. Uncommon winter visitor but number has increased in recent years in Japan.
Black-winged StiltHas very long pink leg. Widely distributed through Eurasia, Africa and Austraria.
Oriental Turtle DoveThe most common dove, resident in wooded areas, parkes and gardens.
Pallid HarrierNormally, distribute in Europe and winters in Africa. This juvenile male Pallid Harrier was recorded for first time in Japan in year 2009.