Top 20 Most Common Bird in South Korea

The diverse eco-regions of South Korea, featuring dense forests, vast wetlands, and islands, offer an idyllic habitat for several bird species. This introduction provides a glimpse into the fascinating world of the 20 most common birds here. Renowned for their unique characteristics — distinctive colorations, intriguing behaviors and remarkable adaptations — these birds emblemize the rich biodiversity of this nation.

Most Common Bird

Brown-eared Bulbul

1. 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.
Eurasian Tree Sparrow

2. 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.
Japanese Tit

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.
Oriental Turtle-dove

4. 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.
Large-billed Crow

5. 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.
Vinous-throated Parrotbill

6. Vinous-throated Parrotbill

The vinous-throated parrotbill is a relatively small and long-tailed parrotbill. It measures between 11 and 12.5 cm (4.3–4.9 in) in length. The weight varies slightly by sex, with males weighing between 8.5 to 11 g (0.30–0.39 oz) and the females weighing 7 to 12 g (0.25–0.42 oz). The tail is graduated and like other parrotbills the bill is short and has the nostrils concealed by feather bristles. The plumage is similar for both sexes, which in the nominate is warm brown on the upperparts, dark brown on the wings (tinged with chestnut on the flight feathers). The upper breast and throat are pinkish-cream with brown streaks on the throat. The flanks are similar to the upperparts but slightly buffy, and the belly is cream-buff merging into the breast. The crown and forehead is rufescent brown, with a pale grey iris and the bill is either slate grey or brown with a paler or yellow tip.
Grey Heron

7. 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.
Marsh Tit

8. Marsh Tit

While it may be a plain-colored tit, the marsh Tit has a distinctive shrill call. The small bird prefers wooded areas but will visit gardens when bird feeders are present. The bird is even known to hoard seeds from feeders, burying them in the ground for a later date.
Indian Spot-billed Duck

9. 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.
Daurian Redstart

10. Daurian Redstart

The daurian Redstart is an active songbird seen in a variety of habitats. It breeds in open forests and prefers spending the winter in fields and gardens. It is a widespread species of bird across most of Asia, extending into Russia, with a curious personality that often allows humans to get close to the bird before it takes flight.
Mallard

11. 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.
Great Cormorant

12. 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.
Great Spotted Woodpecker

13. Great Spotted Woodpecker

The great Spotted Woodpecker is a fairly common species to find in the trees of its native woodlands. Populations in the colder portions of their range migrate while others stay put year-round. They drill into tree bark not only to access insects but also to build nests. The great Spotted Woodpecker is sometimes confused with the smallest European woodpecker, the lesser spotted woodpecker (Dryobates minor), though they are noticeably different in size.
Great Egret

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.
Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker

15. 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.
Long-tailed Tit

16. Long-tailed Tit

Small, fluffy, and adorable are some of the adjectives used to describe the long-tailed Tit. The bird has a high-pitched call that makes it identifiable even when mixing with flocks of other birds. It prefers traveling in groups, even with different bird species. Look for the small bird in rural and urban areas with established trees.
Azure-winged Magpie

17. Azure-winged Magpie

The azure-winged magpie (Cyanopica cyanus) is a bird in the crow family. It is 31–35 cm long and similar in overall shape to the Eurasian magpie (Pica pica) but is more slender with proportionately smaller legs and bill. It belongs to the genus Cyanopica. It has a glossy black top to the head and a white throat. The underparts and the back are a light grey-fawn in colour with the wings and the feathers of the long (16–20 cm) tail an azure blue. It inhabits various types of coniferous (mainly pine) and broadleaf forest, including parks and gardens in the eastern populations.
Grey-headed Woodpecker

18. Grey-headed Woodpecker

The grey-headed woodpecker is 25–26 cm (9.8–10.2 in) in length, has a wingspan of 38–40 cm (15–16 in) and weighs around 125 g (4.4 oz). The male of the nominate subspecies has a grey head with a red forecrown. There is a black line across the lores and a narrow black moustache stripe. The back, scapulars and wing coverts are green. The breast and underbody are pale grey. The folded primaries are barred brown-black on grey-white. The female lacks the red forecrown but has fine black streaks on the crown. The widely distributed Picus canus jessoensis is very similar to the nominate subspecies but is slightly greyer and less green. The Chinese subspecies Picus canus guerini has a black nape patch and a greenish underbody. The subspecies Picus canus hessei is similar to guerini but is more golden green above and a deeper green below. The race on the island of Sumatra, Picus canus dedemi, differs markedly from the other subspecies in having reddish rather than green above, and red, green and grey below. It has a black crown and nape. Specimens of the more widespread of the two Eastern subspecies, P. c. jessoensis, are usually a little larger and heavier than individuals from the type locality. On average, it is somewhat smaller and lighter than the European green woodpecker. In the field, this distinction in size is difficult to make. Its size is approximately that of a Eurasian collared dove. Grey-headed woodpeckers have uniformly olive green upperparts, transitioning across the neck to a light grey, the head being that latter colour. The typical woodpecker markings are small and not particularly conspicuous. It has a grey head with black moustache, and the male has a red crown. It has a shorter neck, slimmer bill and slightly rounder head than the green woodpecker.
Rock Pigeon

19. 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.
Yellow-throated Bunting

20. Yellow-throated Bunting

The yellow-throated bunting (Emberiza elegans), also known as the elegant bunting, is a species of bird in the family Emberizidae. It is found in China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Russia, and Taiwan. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical dry forests. Emberiza elegans follows Type II chain migration. Research on isotopes from feathers has revealed that northern populations begin migration before southern populations. Additionally, a latitudinal gradient in hydrogen isotopes suggest that northern breeders spend winters farther north than their southern counterparts.
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