Top 20 Most Common Bird in Niigata
In the diverse landscapes of Niigata, from coastal areas to thick forests, one may encounter various avian species of remarkable uniqueness. This area hosts 20 most common birds, each carrying distinct traits; vibrant plumage, intriguing migration patterns, and fascinating adaptations to Niigata's changing seasons. An exploration of these birds provides fascinating insights into Niigata's vibrant avian biodiversity.
Most Common Bird
1. Grey-capped Greenfinch
The grey-capped Greenfinch is a friendly bird that likes to twitter while flying. The finch is often seen in woodlands and its yellow feathers distinguish it from other species. The small songbird feeds on seeds, often found on the ground. However, it also eats insects and small invertebrates in the summer.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Barn Swallow
A familiar sight in rural and semi-open areas, the small barn Swallow can often be spotted by its distinctly graceful flight as it travels low over fields. Seemingly unbothered by having human neighbors, they nest unafraid in barns, garages, beneath bridges or wharves. Interestingly enough, they have come to prefer these locations so much that you are unlikely to spot a nest in a place that is not a human-made structure.
9. Black-faced Bunting
The black-faced bunting (Emberiza spodocephala) is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae. The genus name Emberiza is from Old German Embritz, a bunting. The specific spodocephala is from Ancient Greek spodos, "ashes", and kephalos, "headed". It breeds in southern Siberia across to northern China and northern Japan. It is migratory, wintering in north-east India, southern China and northern south-east Asia. It is a very rare vagrant to western Europe. The black-faced bunting breeds in dense undergrowth along streams and rivers in the taiga zone, and lays four or five eggs in a ground or tree nest. Its natural food consists of seeds, and when feeding young, insects. It winters close to water in agricultural or other open bushy habitats. This bird's general appearance and terrestrial feeding habits give the impression of a dunnock with a bunting's bill. It is similar in size to a reed bunting at about 16 cm long. The breeding male has a dark grey head with a mix of yellow green and black between the bill and eye. The upperparts are brown and heavily streaked with black, except on the rump. The rump is brown and the tail is also a dark brown. The underparts are yellowish white with some fine dark brown flank streaks. The stout bill is pink. Females and young birds have a weaker head pattern, with olive-grey cheeks and a weak creamy white supercilium. The underparts are creamy yellow heavily streaked with dark brown. The bird's call is like a tzii or tzee. It sound very "metallic" and it is a very short and not exactly a song at all. It nests on trees or on the ground and lays about four to five eggs.
10. Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker
The japanese Pygmy Woodpecker is a small and lively bird, easily recognizable by its grey-brown crown and brownish-back feathers. This species is found in forests, parks, and gardens across Asia and inhabits a variety of wooded habitats. It feeds on insects, grubs, and sap from trees. Its rapid, chipping call and drumming behavior on trees make it a distinctive and familiar bird to many.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. Japanese Bush Warbler
The Japanese bush warbler is olive brown above and tending toward dusky colors below. It has pale eyebrows. It has a beak that curves up making it look like it is smiling. The bird is typically 15.5 centimetres (6.1 in) in length.
14. 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.
15. 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.
16. Rock Pigeon
The rock Pigeon is a wild ancestor of all domestic and feral pigeons, inhabiting coasts, cliffs, and caves. Pairs nest in rock crevices, often mating for life. They are known for their ability to fly very long distances to return to their homes, navigating using the sun's position and the earth's magnetic fields. Thanks to this ability, pigeons were used as messengers, particularly during World Wars I and II.
17. 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.
18. 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.
19. 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.
20. Japanese Thrush
The Japanese thrush (Turdus cardis) is a species of bird in the thrush family Turdidae. The species is also known as the grey thrush or the Japanese grey thrush. The species was once split into two subspecies, with birds breeding in China being treated as the subspecies T. c. lateus,, but today differences are attributed to natural variation and the species is treated as being monotypic. The Japanese thrush is migratory. It breeds in central China and Japan, arriving in Japan by April or May; it winters in coastal southern China (including Hainan) and northern Laos and Vietnam leaving its breeding grounds around October. It occasionally turns up as a passage migrant in Taiwan, and has been vagrant in Thailand. The species is usually found in forests and woodlands, either deciduous or mixed deciduous and coniferous in its breeding habitat, but also secondary forest and even gardens and parks. The Japanese thrush is a mid-sized thrush. The two sexes have different plumage (sexual dimorphism). The male has a black head, breast, back, wings and tail, and a white underside with black spots in the upper belly and flanks. The legs, bill and thin eye-ring are yellow. The female is brown above and has a white throat, breast and belly, washed with rusty orange on the flanks and black spots. The Japanese thrush feeds on the ground, scratching through leaf-litter to find insects and earthworms. It will also take fruit. It lays 2-5 eggs in a nest made of twigs and moss, bound with mud and lined with hair and rootlets. The eggs are incubated for 12–13 days and the chick nestling period is 14 days. The species double broods (raising two broods a season), with the female laying a new clutch soon after the first brood fledges.