21 Types of Japanese Birds In The World

Blue-tailed Bee-Eater
Blue-tailed Bee-Eater

Japan is home to many beautiful birds. Some of these Japanese birds are very rare, you’ll barely find them, except in Japan. If you are interested in knowing about these creatures, then you have stumbled upon the right place. In this article, we have prepared a list of 21 Japanese birds. So, here we go.

Japanese birds

1. Chestnut-winged Cuckoo

The red-winged crested cuckoo (Clamator coromandus), sometimes known as the chestnut-winged cuckoo, can be found in Southeast Asia and some regions of South Asia. It has black upper parts with glossy finishes, a long graduated glossy tail, a rufous neck, a dusky underside, and a narrow white nuchal half collar. Its head has a tall crest and chestnut wings. They move south during the winter to Sri Lanka, southern India, and tropical Southeast Asia, including portions of Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines. They reproduce along the Himalayas. Its length is roughly 47 cm.

Also Read: 10 Most Beautiful Ducks With Red Eyes

Chestnut-winged Cuckoo
Chestnut-winged Cuckoo

Image Source: Wikimedia

2. Himalayan Cuckoo

A cuckoo species in the genus Cuculus is the Himalayan cuckoo (Cuculus saturatus). It reproduces from the Himalayas eastward to Taiwan and southern China. For the winter, it moves to Southeast Asia and the Greater Sunda Islands. Previously known as the “Oriental cuckoo,” it has a number of subspecies that can be found over most of Asia. Nowadays, these are typically recognized as separate species. The Himalayan cuckoo, if it is thought of as a species, has the name saturatus since the type specimen of the previous “Oriental” cuckoo is a bird from that population.

Also Read: Top 10 Amazing Facts About Owl Legs

Himalayan Cuckoo
Himalayan Cuckoo

Image Source:Hiyashi Haka

3. Lesser Cuckoo

A species of cuckoo found in the family of Cuculidae is the smaller cuckoo (Cuculus poliocephalus). The bird is known as hototogisu in Japan and is widely acclaimed for its song. This species, like many others, is most frequently identified by its song, a brief phrase of disjointed notes that is commonly compared to “eat-your-choKY-pepper!” with the last half being noticeably louder than the former.

The majority of adults have grey skin, white underparts with black bars, and dark eyes. Some females have a bright rufous color on top and dark bars across their wings and back. The Juvenile has a brownish upper body and frequently has a thin white border around the wing feathers. Compared to other similar cuckoos, it is often smaller but also more compact and stumpy in appearance. sings and hunts in the lowland and foothill woods’ canopy.

Also Read: Top 10 Green And Yellow Birds In The World

Lesser Cuckoo
Lesser Cuckoo

Image Source: pseudoapiz

4. Black Woodpecker

The northern Palearctic is home to the giant black woodpecker (Dryocopus martius), which inhabits mature woodlands. It is the only member of its genus present there. Its territory is increasing. The black woodpecker is one of the largest species in the world and is without a doubt the largest species of woodpecker in both Europe and the region of Asia where it resides. This non-migratory species dig a sizable tree hole to live in and prefer old-growth forests or big forest stands as its habitat. In return, a number of species rely on black woodpeckers to live in the holes they make in trees on a secondary basis.

Black Woodpecker
Black Woodpecker

Image Source: Wikimedia

5. White-bellied Woodpecker

The great black woodpecker (Dryocopus javensis), also known as the white-bellied woodpecker, lives in tropical Asia’s evergreen forests, including those in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. It belongs to a complex with the Andaman woodpecker (Dryocopus hodgei), which has 14 subspecies (earlier treated as a subspecies).

One of the beautiful Japanese birds is both an endangered and extinct species of its island variants exist. The amount and distribution of white vary among populations. They are among the biggest Asiatic woodpeckers, building their nests in enormous dead trees, frequently next to rivers. Compared to the smaller woodpeckers, their drums and calls are louder.

White-bellied Woodpecker
White-bellied Woodpecker

6. Grey-headed Woodpecker

Picus canus, sometimes referred to as the grey-faced woodpecker, is a Eurasian member of the Picidae family of woodpeckers. It is one of three closely related sibling species found in Europe, together with the more typical European green woodpecker and the Iberian green woodpecker. Its range encompasses a sizable portion of the Eastern and Central Palaearctic, all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

In terms of habitat, the grey-headed woodpecker is pickier than the European green woodpecker. It favors deciduous forests with a lot of dead trees, and it largely eats ants, though it isn’t completely reliant on them like the green woodpecker is. The nest of the grey-headed woodpecker is generally dug into dead or seriously damaged trees.

Also Read: Top 10 Blue And White Birds In The World

Grey-headed Woodpecker
Grey-headed Woodpecker

Image Source: Wikimedia

7. Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker

The Eurasian three-toed woodpecker is just marginally smaller than the great spotted woodpecker in size, measuring 21–22 cm (8.3–8.7 in). With the exception of the male’s yellow crown, the adult has black and white plumage. There are no red feathers in either sex. It has white from the throat to the belly, black bands on the flanks, black wings, and a rump.

The tail is black with the outer white feathers barred with black, while the back is white with black bars. Both boys’ and girls’ juveniles feature yellow crowns. The Eurasian three-toed woodpecker’s vocal call is a kik or chik. Coniferous forests in the Palearctic region, from Norway to Korea, serve as the breeding environment.

Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker
Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker

Image Source: Wikimedia

8. Collared Scops-Owl

The collared scops owl (Otus lettia) is an owl that breeds year-round in south Asia, from the Himalayas in the east to south China and Taiwan, and from northern Pakistan, northern India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Some of the bird’s winter in India, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia is part of their limited migratory range. This species was once believed to be a part of the Indian scops owl, which is now a distinct species (Otus bakkamoena).

This species belongs to the wider family of owls known as typical owls, or Strigidae, which includes the majority of owl species. The other subgroup is the Tytonidae family of barn owls. The collared scops owl breeds frequently in woodlands and other heavily forested places. It nests in tree hollows and produces 3–5 eggs.

Also Read: Top 10 Black And Blue birds In The World

Collared Scops-Owl
Collared Scops-Owl

9. Short-eared Owl

A medium-sized owl, the short-eared owl is one of the amazing birds of Kauai that grows upto 34-43 cm (13-17 in) long and weighs 206-475 g. (7.3–16.8 oz). It has broad wings, a huge head, large eyes, and a short neck. It has a small, powerful, hooked, and black bill. Its wings and tail have bars, and its plumage is mottled tawny to brown. It is also listed as one of the types of owls in Southern California.

Significant streaking is present on the upper breast. Its wingbeats are erratic, which gives it a floppy flight. The short-eared owl’s flying has been compared to that of a “moth or bat.” The wingspan is between 85 and 110 cm (33 to 43 in). Males are a little bit bigger than females. Black rings around each eye magnify the yellow-orange eyes, creating the impression that mascara is being worn.

Short-eared Owl
Short-eared Owl

10. Blue-tailed Bee-Eater

Like other bee-eaters, this species is a slender, highly-colored bird. Its main color is green, and its face features a small blue patch, black eye stripes, a yellow and brown throat, a blue tail, and a black beak. Around their bases, the three outer toes are joined. Including the two extended central tail feathers, which may measure only two inches longer than the other ten feathers, it can grow to a length of 23–26 cm.

The blue-cheeked bee-eater, which is only slightly confusing since it prefers drier environments, is the only species in its range. The rump and tail of the blue-tailed differ from the green and black ones in that they are blue. The blue-cheeked one has BLUE under tail feathers as opposed to green ones.

Blue-tailed Bee-Eater
Blue-tailed Bee-Eater

11. Oriental turtle dove

The Oriental turtle dove is one of the most popular Japanese birds that belong to the bird family Columbidae. The bird species are mostly seen across the regions of Europe, east across Asia to Japan. The population is, mostly seen at higher altitudes, however, during the winter season, they migrate south in winter, while those closer to the tropics are sedentary. The habitat of the bird species varies and is mostly seen in open habitats and winters in more open habitats but usually with good tree cover. The dietary habit is granivorous in nature and mostly feeds on hemp, sunflower, wheat, millet, and amaranth. 

Oriental turtle dove
Oriental turtle dove

12. Japanese pygmy woodpecker

The Japanese pygmy woodpecker also known as pygmy woodpecker is a woodpecker species mostly seen in the coniferous and deciduous forests in Russia, China, Korea, and Japan. The bird species occurs at an elevation of 2,100 m (6,900 ft) and prefers lowland, upland, and riverine forests, and also parks and gardens. It occurs in pairs to search for invertebrates, such as spiders, caterpillars, ants and aphids, and berries.

Japanese pygmy woodpecker
Japanese pygmy woodpecker

13. Japanese bush warbler

The Japanese bush warbler also known as uguisu in Japanese is an Asian passerine bird that is mostly heard than is really visible in the sky. The breeding song can be heard throughout much of Japan from the start of spring. The appearance is olive-brown above and tends toward dusky colors below.  The eyebrows are pale and have a beak that curves up making it look like it is smiling. The body length of bird species is upto 15.5 centimeters (6.1 in) in length. The average life span of a Japanese bush warbler is between two to five years.

Japanese bush warbler
Japanese bush warbler

14. Blakiston’s fish owl

The Blakiston’s fish owl is the largest living species of owl which is a sub-group of eagle owls that specialize in hunting in riparian areas.  The bird species is native to China, Japan, and Russian Far East.  The body length of Blakiston’s fish owl is between 60 to 72 cm and the average weight is between 2.9 to 4.6 kilograms. The avarage lifespan of Blakiston’s fish owl is upto 20 years in the wild. The dietary habits are carnivores in nature and feed on pike, catfish, trout, and salmon.  During the winter season, it feeds on rodents, martens, hares, rabbits, foxes, cats, and even small dogs.

Blakiston's fish owl
Blakiston’s fish owl

Image Source: Wikimedia

15. White-bellied green pigeon

The white-bellied green pigeon is also one of the popular Japanese birds that belong to the family Columbidae. They are mostly seen in China, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand, India, and Vietnam and prefer temperate forests to thrive. The pigeon species is known for its unique habit of drinking saltwater and they do it in mostly 2in Japan is Terugasaki in Ōiso in Kanagawa Prefecture. The primary diet includes fruits, nuts, and/or seeds. 

White-bellied green pigeon
White-bellied green pigeon

Image Source: Wikimedia

16. Brown-eared Bulbul

The brown-eared bulbul is mediums sized bulbul species native to eastern Asia. They are most common in regions of southern Sakhalin to the northern Philippines. The bird species can reach upto 28 cm (11 in) in length and comes with brown cheeks (the “brown ears” of the common name) and a long tail. They prefer to thrive in forested areas and can adapt to urban and rural environments, and their noisy squeaking calls are a familiar sound in most areas of Japan. During the summer season, they primarily feed on insects and during the winter season, feed on the nectar from Camellia flowers, becoming dusted with yellow pollen in the process. It is one of the most popular Japanese birds in the world.

Brown-eared Bulbul
Brown-eared Bulbul

17. Scaly-sided merganser

The scaly-sided merganser, also known as the Chinese merganser, is an endangered duck species that breeds in the regions of Manchuria and extreme Southeast Siberia. Talking about appearance, they have a thin red bill and a scaled dark pattern on the flanks and rump. Both males and females have a crest of wispy, elongated feathers, which is fairly short in females and even in immatures.

The adult species can be identified with the help of a black head and neck, white breast and underparts, and a blackish mantle and wings, except for the white innerwings; however, female species can be identified with the help of a buffish head and otherwise replace the male’s black with a grey colour. The primary diet includes small fish, crustaceans, and insects. The average lifespan of a scaly-sided merganser is between 15 and 20 years in the wild.

Scaly-sided merganser
Scaly-sided merganser

Image Source: Yersinia

18. Smew

The smew, scientifically known as Mergellus albellus, is a species of duck and the only member of the genus Mergellus. The name spew has been used since the 17th century because of uncertainty in its origin and is believed to be related to the Dutch smient (“wigeon”) and the German Schmeiente or Schmünte, “wild duck.” It is believed that the name derives from smee, a dialectal term for a wild duck. These black and white ducks breed on continents such as Europe, Asia, and Africa. These beautiful white birds make nests in tree holes, such as old woodpecker nests, since they are shy birds and flush easily when disturbed.

Smew Ducks
Smew Ducks

19. Common goldeneye

Common goldeneye is among the ducks with white stripes on their heads, where adult males are identified with the help of a dark head with a greenish gloss and a circular white patch below the eye, a dark back, and a white neck and belly. However, females have a brown head and a mostly grey body. These are monogamous birds that form pairs and prefer to build their nests in large trees, where they return year after year, though they will readily use nest boxes as well. These white ducks with black heads are primarily threatened by the loss of their native habitat.

Common Goldeneye
Common Goldeneye

20. Black Scoter

The black scoter, also known as the American scoter, scientifically known as Melanitta americana, is a large duck species that grows up to 43 to 49 cm (17 to 19 in) in length. The unique feature is characterised by its bulky shape and large bill, where the male species can be identified with the help of the bulbous bill, which is mostly yellow; however, the female species is a brown bird with pale cheeks, very similar to the female common scoter. These bird species breed in the regions of North America in Labrador and Newfoundland to the southeast and northwest of Hudson Bay. The average lifespan of a black scoter is between 10 and 15 years in the wild.

Black Scoter
Black Scoter

Image Source: Len

21. King Eider

King eider is one of the Japanese birds scientifically known as Somateria spectabilis, breeds in the regions of the Northern Hemisphere Arctic coasts of northeast Europe, North America, and Asia. The female species builds its nests on the ground, usually near water. The eggs are laid in clutches of between 2 and 7 eggs, which she alone incubates for 22 to 23 days. They are the young ones and were raised collectively by the females. The bird species are described in the year 1758 in the 10th edition of his opus Systema Naturae, Carl Linnaeus. The male’s song is a quavering, dove-like cooing, transcribed as croo-croo-croo or hoo-hoo-hooo, and the females make a variety of low clucks, grunts, and growls.

King Eider
King Eider

These are the 21 types of Japanese birds in the world. Kindly share and do post your comments.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Like