Japan’s islands host a wide mix of resident and migratory birds, from coastal wetlands and rice paddies to high mountain forests and subtropical beaches. Seasonal shifts and varied habitats mean even a short walk can turn up surprising species.
There are 59 Birds of Japan, ranging from Asian Brown Flycatcher to Yellow-browed Warbler. Each entry lists Scientific name,Status,Where/when to help identify sightings — you’ll find below.
When is the best time to see migrant species listed here?
Spring and autumn migration are the richest periods for vagrants and passage species, while summer brings breeding visitors and winter hosts overwintering ducks and thrushes; check the Where/when column for species-specific timing and local hotspots.
How can I use the Scientific name,Status,Where/when columns when planning a trip?
Use the Scientific name to avoid confusion with local common names, check Status for rarity or protection notes, and consult Where/when to target timing and sites—combine these with recent local reports for the most reliable planning.
Birds of Japan
| Common name | Scientific name | Status | Where/when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese Green Pheasant | Phasianus versicolor | Resident, endemic breeder | Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu year-round |
| Blakiston’s Fish Owl | Bubo blakistoni | Resident, endangered | Hokkaido year-round, localised riparian forests |
| Red-crowned Crane | Grus japonensis | Winter visitor and local breeder, threatened | Hokkaido (Kushiro) winter and breeding; occasional wetlands Honshu |
| Black-faced Spoonbill | Platalea minor | Winter visitor, endangered | Coasts of western Honshu, Kyushu, Okinawa winter |
| Whooper Swan | Cygnus cygnus | Winter visitor | Hokkaido and northern Honshu lakes and wetlands winter |
| Tundra Swan | Cygnus columbianus | Winter visitor | Lakes and rice-fields across Honshu and Hokkaido winter |
| Steller’s Sea Eagle | Haliaeetus pelagicus | Winter visitor, scarce | Coastal Hokkaido winter |
| White-tailed Eagle | Haliaeetus albicilla | Winter visitor and local breeder | Hokkaido coasts and large lakes year-round |
| Black-tailed Gull | Larus crassirostris | Resident, abundant coastal breeder | All coasts year-round, inland in winter |
| Black-headed Gull | Chroicocephalus ridibundus | Winter visitor and passage migrant | Coasts and lakes across Japan winter |
| Black-necked Stilt | Himantopus himantopus | Summer visitor and local breeder | Coastal mudflats and saltpans, southern Japan spring–summer |
| Common Sandpiper | Actitis hypoleucos | Summer migrant and breeder | Rivers, lakes and coasts across Japan spring–summer |
| Ruddy Turnstone | Arenaria interpres | Winter visitor and migrant | Rocky shores nationwide winter and migration |
| Sanderling | Calidris alba | Migration visitor | Sandy beaches during migration and winter |
| Japanese Murrelet | Synthliboramphus wumizusume | Resident breeder, near-endemic | Offshore waters around Honshu and Izu Islands breeding season |
| Streaked Shearwater | Calonectris leucomelas | Common breeder at sea | Offshore waters and colony islands, summer breeding |
| Short-tailed Shearwater | Ardenna tenuirostris | Migratory visitor | Large flocks offshore during migration (spring, autumn) |
| Brown Booby | Sula leucogaster | Seasonal visitor and local breeder | Tropical southern islands (Ogasawara, Okinawa) summer |
| Black-footed Albatross | Phoebastria nigripes | Pelagic visitor | Northwest Pacific off southern and central Japan year-round |
| Japanese Cormorant | Phalacrocorax capillatus | Resident, coastal breeder | Coasts and fishing harbors year-round |
| Great Cormorant | Phalacrocorax carbo | Resident | Coastal and inland waters widespread year-round |
| Grey Heron | Ardea cinerea | Resident | Wetlands, rivers and ricefields nationwide year-round |
| Great Egret | Ardea alba | Resident and migrant breeder | Wetlands and coasts across Japan year-round |
| Oriental Stork | Ciconia boyciana | Reintroduced breeder, formerly extirpated | Reintroduction sites in Honshu (Toyooka); rare sightings elsewhere |
| Crested Kingfisher | Megaceryle lugubris | Resident | Fast rivers and mountain streams across Japan year-round |
| Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | Summer breeder and migrant | Coasts and large rivers breeding spring–summer |
| Eastern Marsh Harrier | Circus spilonotus | Migratory breeder and winter visitor | Wetlands and reedbeds; breeds in northern and eastern areas spring–summer |
| Common Kestrel | Falco tinnunculus | Resident and migrant breeder | Open country, fields and towns across Japan year-round |
| Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus | Resident and migrant breeder | Cliffs, coasts and cities widespread year-round |
| Eurasian Jay | Garrulus glandarius | Resident | Forests across Honshu and Hokkaido year-round |
| Lidth’s Jay | Garrulus lidthi | Endemic resident, endangered | Amami Islands year-round, very localised |
| Azure-winged Magpie | Cyanopica cyanus | Resident | Woodlands and parks in Honshu and Kyushu year-round |
| Large-billed Crow | Corvus macrorhynchos | Resident, abundant | Cities, countryside and coasts nationwide year-round |
| White-cheeked Starling | Sturnus cineraceus | Resident and migrant | Woodlands, farmland and towns across Japan year-round |
| Brown-eared Bulbul | Hypsipetes amaurotis | Resident, common | Gardens, woodlands and towns nationwide year-round |
| Japanese White-eye | Zosterops japonicus | Resident | Gardens, groves and forests nationwide year-round |
| Varied Tit | Sittiparus varius | Resident | Forests and gardens across Japan year-round |
| Long-tailed Tit | Aegithalos caudatus | Resident | Woodlands and gardens across Japan year-round |
| Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker | Yungipicus kizuki | Resident | Woodlands, parks and cemeteries across Japan year-round |
| Great Spotted Woodpecker | Dendrocopos major | Resident | Forests and parks across Hokkaido and Honshu year-round |
| Brown Shrike | Lanius cristatus | Migratory breeder and passage migrant | Common migration and breeding in Honshu; winters in southern Asia |
| Bull-headed Shrike | Lanius bucephalus | Resident breeder | Open woodland and farmland across Japan year-round |
| Japanese Robin | Larvivora akahige | Resident breeder | Deciduous forests of Honshu and nearby islands spring–summer |
| Brown-headed Thrush | Turdus chrysolaus | Migratory breeder and winter visitor | Breeds in Hokkaido and northern Honshu; winters in southern Japan |
| Izu Thrush | Turdus celaenops | Endemic resident | Izu Islands year-round, shy forest species |
| Dusky Thrush | Turdus eunomus | Winter visitor | Woodlands, parks and coastal scrub across Japan winter |
| Eurasian Tree Sparrow | Passer montanus | Resident, common | Towns, farmland and villages across Japan year-round |
| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | Introduced resident | Cities and towns throughout Japan year-round |
| Meadow Bunting | Emberiza cioides | Resident | Grasslands, hedgerows and agricultural areas across Japan year-round |
| Yellow-browed Warbler | Phylloscopus inornatus | Passage migrant | Woodlands and parks across Japan spring and autumn |
| Japanese Bush Warbler | Horornis diphone | Resident | Shrubs, forests and gardens across Japan year-round |
| Narcissus Flycatcher | Ficedula narcissina | Summer breeder migrant | Breeds in forests of Honshu and Hokkaido spring–summer |
| Asian Brown Flycatcher | Muscicapa latirostris | Migratory passage visitor | Forests and parks during spring and autumn migration |
| Japanese Paradise Flycatcher | Terpsiphone atrocaudata | Migratory breeder | Breeds in wooded areas of Honshu and southern islands spring–summer |
| Common Kingfisher | Alcedo atthis | Resident and migrant | Rivers, ponds and coasts across Japan year-round |
| Black Kite | Milvus migrans | Resident and migrant | Widespread over cities, coasts and countryside year-round |
| Crested Ibis | Nipponia nippon | Reintroduced breeder, critically endangered | Sado Island and managed sites in Honshu year-round breeding |
| Bohemian Waxwing | Bombycilla garrulus | Vagrant/irruptive winter visitor | Occasional irruptions into Hokkaido and northern Honshu in severe winters |
| Eurasian Oystercatcher | Haematopus ostralegus | Resident and migrant breeder | Coasts and tidal flats across Japan year-round |
Images and Descriptions
Japanese Green Pheasant
Japan’s national bird: a ground-dwelling pheasant with iridescent green males and mottled females. Seen at forest edges and rice fields, secretive yet conspicuous by call; populations stable but sensitive to habitat loss.
Blakiston’s Fish Owl
Largest owl in the world, heavy-bodied with ear tufts and pale face. Hunts riverside fish at night; extremely rare and vulnerable due to habitat disturbance and low numbers in Hokkaido.
Red-crowned Crane
Iconic tall white crane with red crown and black neck patches. Spectacular courtship dances and winter roosts in Hokkaido; central to cultural heritage and conservation programs.
Black-faced Spoonbill
Elegant white wader with spatulate bill. Aggregates on tidal flats in winter; internationally threatened by loss of intertidal feeding sites, making Japan a key wintering area.
Whooper Swan
Large, pale swan with straight bill profile and loud bugling calls. Arrives in winter to frozen lakes and wetlands; seen in flocks feeding on aquatic plants and grains.
Tundra Swan
Smaller white swan with black bill and graceful neck. Uses inland wetlands and flooded rice paddies in winter; common in cosmopolitan wintering areas.
Steller’s Sea Eagle
Massive dark eagle with pale head and huge yellow bill. Winter visitor to Hokkaido coasts and estuaries; prized by birders for dramatic perched and fishing displays.
White-tailed Eagle
Large powerful eagle with pale tail. Visits coasts and inland waters to scavenge and hunt; declining in some areas but still regularly seen in Hokkaido.
Black-tailed Gull
Common medium-sized gull with dark tail band and loud calls. Ubiquitous on harbors, beaches and garbage dumps; visible in urban and rural coastal life.
Black-headed Gull
Small gull with chocolate head in breeding season. Appears in flocks on inland lakes and coasts during winter migration; agile and social.
Black-necked Stilt
Slender long-legged wader with black back and pink legs. Forages on mudflats and saltpans; locally breeds in southern and western Japanese coasts.
Common Sandpiper
Small, energetic wader with bobbing tail and white underparts. Common along freshwater and coastal edges during breeding season; unmistakable teetering behavior.
Ruddy Turnstone
Stocky shorebird with patterned back and orange legs. Flips stones and seaweed for prey on rocky coasts; widespread migrant and wintering species.
Sanderling
Small pale sandpiper that runs with surf, probing for crustaceans. Common on open sandy shores during migration and mild winters; very active and distinctive in behavior.
Japanese Murrelet
Small auk with dark cap and pale face; nests on rocky islets. Secretive at sea and locally threatened by predation and habitat disturbance on breeding islets.
Streaked Shearwater
Large shearwater with long wings and streaked underparts that breeds in dense colonies on islands. Nightly colony flights and spectacular pelagic flocks near Japan’s coasts.
Short-tailed Shearwater
Southern hemisphere migrant passing Japanese waters in large numbers during migration. Fast-flying pelagic bird often seen from boats in spring and autumn.
Brown Booby
Tropical seabird with brown upperparts and white belly. Found around southern islands and pelagic waters; dramatic plunge-diver and colonial breeder on remote islets.
Black-footed Albatross
Large dark albatross cruising offshore with stiff wings. Regularly seen from ships, especially in warmer waters; vulnerable to bycatch and pollution.
Japanese Cormorant
Medium-large cormorant common on rocky coasts and harbors. Frequently perches on rocks and jetties; important in traditional fisheries and visible year-round.
Great Cormorant
Large dark cormorant often fishing in groups. Found on rivers, lakes and coasts; adaptable and common across Japan.
Grey Heron
Tall grey heron with slow deliberate hunting style. Common at wetlands and agricultural fields; stands motionless before striking fish, frogs and small mammals.
Great Egret
Elegant white egret with long neck and yellow bill. Breeds in colonies and forages in shallow water; populations have recovered after historical declines.
Oriental Stork
Large white stork with black wing tips. Once extinct in Japanese wilds, reintroduced breeding populations exist; conservation success but still vulnerable.
Crested Kingfisher
Large pied kingfisher with shaggy crest. Found along clear streams, waiting on branches to dive for fish; striking and conspicuous in forested rivers.
Osprey
Fish-eating raptor that hovers over water then plunges feet-first. Breeds along coasts and large waterways; present as a summer visitor and migrant.
Eastern Marsh Harrier
Graceful harrier with low quartering flight over reedbeds. Breeds in marshy wetlands and migrates to milder regions in winter.
Common Kestrel
Small falcon that hovers while hunting small mammals and insects. Common in rural and suburban landscapes; adaptable and conspicuous.
Peregrine Falcon
Fastest bird in stoop-hunting mode, striking falcon seen on coasts and urban cliffs. Breeds on ledges and tall structures; conservation-led recoveries in many areas.
Eurasian Jay
Colorful corvid with blue wing patches and loud calls. Bold and noisy in woodlands, caches acorns; an important seed disperser in forests.
Lidth’s Jay
Striking blue jay endemic to Amami with restricted range. Rare and forest-dependent, threatened by habitat loss; a high-priority conservation species.
Azure-winged Magpie
Sociable magpie-like bird with long tail and blue wings. Forms noisy groups in woodlands and urban parks; often seen gleaning insects and seeds.
Large-billed Crow
Bold, adaptable crow common in towns and rural areas. Omnivorous and intelligent, often seen scavenging, nesting on buildings and trees.
White-cheeked Starling
Medium starling with grey-brown tones and white cheek patch. Forms flocks at roosts, feeds on insects and fruit, widespread and vocal.
Brown-eared Bulbul
Loud and conspicuous bulbul with brown ear patch. Feeds on fruit and insects in urban and rural habitats; common and sometimes considered a nuisance in orchards.
Japanese White-eye
Small green bird with white eye-ring, energetic and social. Feeds on insects and nectar in gardens and parks; familiar and widespread.
Varied Tit
Small colourful tit with orange underparts and black head. Bold and inquisitive in woodlands and gardens; caches seeds and visits feeders.
Long-tailed Tit
Tiny round-bodied bird with very long tail. Moves in tight family flocks, flitting through shrubs and trees; distinctive pendulous nests in breeding season.
Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker
Small barred woodpecker that drums and probes trunks. Common in urban parks and forests; unobtrusive but frequently heard.
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Medium woodpecker with bold black-and-white pattern and red under-tail. Drums energetically on trunks and forages for insects beneath bark.
Brown Shrike
Perching shrike with hooked bill and masked face. Often seen on wires and shrubs during migration, catching large insects and small vertebrates.
Bull-headed Shrike
Compact shrike with pale underparts and hooked beak. Territory-holder in farmlands and edges; impales prey on thorns occasionally.
Japanese Robin
Small, warm-coloured robin with melodious song. Prefers understory of moist forests; secretive but often sings clearly in breeding season.
Brown-headed Thrush
Medium thrush with warm brown head and spotted breast. Breeds in northern forests, winters in gardens and lowlandsfeeding on fruit.
Izu Thrush
Forest thrush endemic to the Izu archipelago with rich song. Secretive in dense woodland, prized by island birders and of conservation concern due to limited range.
Dusky Thrush
Streaked-backed thrush that winters widely in Japan. Feeds on berries and invertebrates in open woodlands and parks during cold months.
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Small familiar sparrow with chestnut crown and cheek spot. Nests in buildings and trees, very common in rural and urban settings.
House Sparrow
Introduced urban sparrow competing with native tree sparrow in some areas. Found around buildings and human habitation, forming noisy flocks.
Meadow Bunting
Ground-foraging bunting with rich song and rufous head. Prefers open farmland and scrubby edges, often perched on wires while singing.
Yellow-browed Warbler
Tiny greenish warbler with bright eyebrow. Common migrant during spring and autumn, flitting through canopy gleaning small insects.
Japanese Bush Warbler
Known for its iconic “ho-hokekyo” song heralding spring. Secretive in undergrowth yet audible; a beloved symbol of Japanese nature.
Narcissus Flycatcher
Male striking with bright yellow and black; arrives in spring to breed in mature forests. Popular with birdwatchers for vivid plumage and song.
Asian Brown Flycatcher
Small drab flycatcher that perches and sallies for insects. Very common on migration, often overlooked but frequent in city parks and woods.
Japanese Paradise Flycatcher
Elegant long-tailed flycatcher with glossy plumage in males. Breeds in mature broadleaf forests and is a sought-after summer visitor.
Common Kingfisher
Small brilliant blue and orange bird that dives for fish. Found on streams and coastal edges; territorial and often seen perching low above water.
Black Kite
Slender raptor often seen soaring over cities and landfill sites. Opportunistic scavenger and hunter, very familiar in urban skies.
Crested Ibis
Beautiful white ibis with red facial skin and crest. Once extinct in Japanese wilds, now reintroduced with careful management; still rare and closely monitored.
Bohemian Waxwing
Elegant crested passerine with silky plumage and waxy wing tips. Rare irruptive visitor some winters, drawing excitement when flocks appear feeding on berries.
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Bold black-and-white shorebird with long orange bill. Feeds on bivalves and worms on exposed mudflats; conspicuous and noisy on tidal shores.
