


Top 20 Most Common Bird in Kyoto
Renowned for its gently rolling hills, verdant forest trails, and serene temples, Kyoto provides a diverse habitat for a variety of avian species. Among the most common, 20 birds stand out for their unique characteristics and behavior. From the vibrant hues of the Kingfisher to the melodic warbling of the Japanese Bush Warbler, each of these feathered denizens adds a distinctive touch to Kyoto's rich ecosystem.

Most Common Bird

1. White Wagtail
The white Wagtail is the national bird of Latvia and is featured in traditional folk songs and placed on some postage stamps. These birds can be found in most habitat types besides deserts. As their name suggests, they exhibit a characteristic tail-wagging behavior as they search along the ground and nearby waterways for insects to eat.

2. Great Cormorant
The great Cormorant is a charismatic bird known for its diving abilities and fishing prowess. It has a glossy black plumage, a long neck, and a hooked beak. It is strong swimmers and divers, capable of reaching depths up to 30 feet to catch fish. It has a unique habit of spreading their wings in the sun to dry them after fishing, helping to maintain their waterproof feathers.


3. Brown-eared Bulbul
The brown-eared Bulbul’s loud cry isn’t the only trait that makes it easy to recognize in rural and suburban habitats. Along with its loud, shrill calls, the songbird has an undulating flight pattern, that makes it easy to distinguish from other species. The bird feeds primarily on insects but will also drink Camellia flower nectar, aiding in pollination.


4. Carrion Crow
The loud cry from the carrion Crow lets everyone know the bird is in the area. It is often seen in semi and open habitats that include rural and suburban areas. The black-colored bird only gathers in large flocks when it is time to roost. Otherwise, it flies in pairs or small groups scavenging for insects, seeds, and even small animals.

5. Grey Heron
The grey Heron is a very common species to come across in marine, brackish, and freshwater ecosystems; these habitats must have at least four months of warm weather or else these birds will migrate for new breeding grounds. The grey Heron hunts by wading through shallow waters looking for fish and various invertebrates; their natural diet helps control some aquatic species populations.

6. Indian Spot-billed Duck
This duck is around the same size as a mallard and has a scaly patterned body with a green speculum bordered by white. At rest the white stripe stands out and the long neck and the bill with yellow tip and orange red spots at the base are distinctive in the nominate subspecies. The red spots at the base of the bills are absent in haringtoni. It measures 55–63 cm (22–25 in) in length and 83–95 cm (33–37 in) across the wings, with a body mass of 790–1,500 g (1.74–3.31 lb). These are mainly grey ducks with a paler head and neck and a black bill tipped bright yellow. The wings are whitish with black flight feathers below, and from above show a white-bordered green The male has a red spot on the base of the bill, which is absent or inconspicuous in the smaller but otherwise similar female. The male does not have an eclipse plumage. The legs and feet are bright orange to coral red. Juveniles are browner and duller than adults. The eastern spot-billed duck is darker and browner; its body plumage is more similar to the Pacific black duck. It lacks the red bill spot, and has a blue speculum. Both males and females undergo a complete post-breeding moult, dropping all their wing feathers simultaneously.


7. Black Kite
Black Kite is a bird of prey known for its aerial skills and hunting ability. Its striking appearance makes it a fascinating species to observe, and it can often be seen soaring through the skies. Black Kite is highly adaptable and can be found in a variety of habitats, making it a common sight in many areas.


8. Eurasian Tree Sparrow
The eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) is a widespread sparrow of the European mainland that has been introduced to some parts of North America. Eurasian Tree Sparrow is very similar to the House sparrow (Passer domesticus) but it's smaller and neater. It prefers more natural habitats, at the edges of human activity, and inhabits farmlands, parklands, and open woods.

9. Japanese Tit
The japanese Tit is a large bird for its species, it is also extremely vocal with its loud chirps and song. While it can be seen in parks, it prefers wooded habitats. The songbird made headlines when researchers noticed the syntax in its calls. The bird will even respond to other species if they follow the alert call.

10. Warbling White-eye
The warbling white-eye is olive green on its back, from anterior to posterior, and is pale green on its underside. Its feet, legs, and bill range from black to brown. It has a green forehead and a yellow throat. The white-eye has rounded wings and a long, slender bill – both of which indicate this bird to be very acrobatic. Its wings are dark brown, but outlined in green. Like other white-eyes, this species exhibits the distinctive white eyering that gives it its name.


11. Eurasian Coot
The eurasian Coot is a medium-sized, black-plumaged waterbird with a white bill and a distinctive red shield above its bill. It has webbed feet with a white patch on the toes and is often seen in large flocks, diving for food and fiercely defending its territory. Its aggressive nature and distinct features make it a memorable sight for birdwatchers.


12. Oriental Turtle-dove
The oriental Turtle-dove is a migratory bird whose appearance can vary between subspecies. Individuals from higher latitudes migrate south over the winter months while those at lower latitudes do not migrate. The oriental Turtle-dove can be found in a large range of habitats, but usually prefers dense tree coverage. These birds mainly forage for seeds on the ground.

13. Japanese Wagtail
The Japanese Wagtail is about 20cm long. Both sexes look similar; they have white underparts and black upperparts, throats and backs. Their supercilium is also white. They have a black beak and dark grey legs and feet. The plumage of a juvenile is more grey than that of an adult.


14. Great Egret
These tall birds are quite distinctive with their bright white feathers, black legs, and orange beaks. Great Egrets live near both fresh and saltwater, nesting high in trees to protect their eggs from predatory mammals. They are colonial nesters, living in large groups (colonies), and they find the majority of their food in the nearest body of water.

15. Bull-headed Shrike
The bull-headed shrike (Lanius bucephalus) is a passerine bird of eastern Asia belonging to the shrike family Laniidae. It is 19–20 cm (approx. 7.48-7.9 inches) long. The male has a brown crown, white eyebrow and black mask. The back is grey-brown while the wings are dark with a white patch. The flanks are rufous and the rest of the underparts are whitish with fine barring. Females are similar but duller and browner with a brown mask and no white wing-patch. The species has harsh grating and chattering calls and will also mimic other birds. It breeds in north-east China, Korea, Japan and far-eastern Russia (Ussuriland, Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands). Northern birds migrate south for the winter with a few reaching southern China. Vagrants have been recorded in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Vietnam. The isolated race sicarius is found only in the mountains of Gansu Province in west-central China. Open habitats such as farmland and woodland edges are preferred. It also visits parks and gardens in urban areas. It sits on a prominent perch, waiting for prey to pass by. It feeds mainly on insects such as beetles and crickets but also preys on lizards and crustaceans. With some other species from the Lanius genus, like the great grey shrike (Lanius excubitor), the bull-headed shrike is known to impale some of its preys upon a sharp point – usually thorns – so the food can be ripped into bite-sized pieces more easily. It may also do this to cache food and to mark a territory boundary. The nest is built among bushes or bamboo. Two to six eggs are laid. They are incubated for 14 to 15 days and the young birds fledge 14 days after hatching.


16. Mallard
The mallard is the most abundant duck species in the world, and the ancestor of all domestic ducks. Only the female can produce the distinctive "quack" sound. When the female lays eggs, the male abandons its mate, while the protective mother stays with the ducklings for a long time. This migratory species inhabits shallow waters and it's one of the most popular game birds.

17. Meadow Bunting
The meadow Bunting is often described as a handsome bird due to the distinctive coloring on its face. It is a talkative bird, giving multiple calls instead of single chirps. The best place to spot the large bunting is in open areas with plenty of vegetation like meadows, forest edges, and agricultural fields.

18. Little Egret
The small size of the little Egret makes the bird easily recognizable among larger species that share the same range. The egret is seen almost anywhere there are small fish including marshes, estuaries, and rivers. The bird often searches for food by itself but prefers to build nests in communities, occasionally with other bird species.

19. Large-billed Crow
The overall size (length: 46–59 cm; 18–23 in.) and body proportions vary regionally. In the far northeast in Japan, the Kuriles and the Sakhalin peninsula, it is somewhat larger than the carrion crow. All taxa have a relatively long bill with the upper one quite thick and arched, making it look heavy and almost raven-like. Generally, all taxa have dark greyish plumage from the back of the head, neck, shoulders and lower body. Their wings, tail, face, and throat are glossy black. The depth of the grey shading varies across its range.


20. White-cheeked Starling
Its dark grey and brown coloring give the talkative white-cheeked Starling a drab appearance. When gathering in flocks, the bird always seems to have something to say when foraging. It is most often seen in open areas like pastures and along forest edges. The starling also visits urban areas, especially locations with bird feeders.