Steller's Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus)

OTHER NAMES: Steller's Fish Eagle, Pacific Sea Eagle, White-shouldered Eagle

Latin Etymology: Haliaeetus ("sea-eagle") pelagicus ("marine/pelagic")

Adult Steller's Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) from Akan Crane Centre, Hokkaido, Japan - December 2014

Featured Subspecies: N/A

Weight: 5-9kg  /  Length: 85-100cm  /  Wingspan: 200-250cm

NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Vulnerable

If, when I had started this blog you had asked me if I could see any bird in the world at all, the Steller's Sea Eagle would have quite possibly been my answer.  It is, in my opinion at least, just about the most spectacular bird on the planet.  It is enormous, with that wingspan that can reach 2.5m wide.  The beak is enormous and bright yellow and there are prominent white panels on the wings make it distinct from it's relations the Bald and White-tailed eagles.  Hokkaido is pretty much the only plausible place to go see them, and in certain locations (unfortunately beyond where we went on this trip) they can be seen in huge numbers at close range in towns where they live off fishing cast offs.

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Haliaeetus
Subspecies: None - monotypic

 - Sighting Locations -

JAPAN - Japanese: オオワシ / O-washi ("Great Eagle")   ///  Ainu:  Kapacchilikamui ("God-spirit of the Eagles")

Locally Common Visitor to Hokkaido, rare vagrant in the rest of Japan

 - TOKYO/HOKKAIDO 2014 TRIP: Two seen distantly from Akan Crane Centre in early December.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Red-Crowned Crane (Grus japonensis)

OTHER NAMES: Japanese Crane, Manchurian Crane

Latin Etymology: Grus ("crane") japonensis ("Japanese")

Ten adult Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis) at Akan Crane Centre, Hokkaido, Japan - December 2014

Featured Subspecies: N/A

Weight: 7.5kg  /  Length: 100-150cm  /  Height: 150-158cm  /  Wingspan: 220-250cm

ABSENT FROM UK / IUCN Red List: Endangered

The Red-Crowned or Japanese Crane is without a doubt the most iconic bird of Japan.  There are actually six species of regularly occurring crane in Japan, but the Red-Crowned Crane is the largest and the only species to be resident in the country.  This was a close thing - at one point it was considered extinct in Japan, and it wasn't until a small group was found and started being fed and protected that their numbers rebounded.  They can now be seen in various places across Eastern Hokkaido, but the greatest congregation of feeding sites is in the Kushiro Marsh area.  I saw these at the Akan International Crane Center, which apparently has the closest views of the major feeding sites, though my first sighting was actually of a small flock from the main road near the airport!

Related Species:
Order: Gruiformes
Family: Gruidae
Genus: Grus
Subspecies: None (monotypic)

 - Sighting Locations -

JAPAN - Japanese: タンチョウ  /  Tanchō ("Red-cap")   ///  Ainu: Sarurunkamui ("God-spirit of the Marshes")

Rare (but locally numerous in Winter) resident of Hokkaido, vagrant elsewhere

 - TOKYO/HOKKAIDO 2014 TRIP: Numerous at Akan Crane Centre (around 40-50 individuals) plus three seen en-route near Kushiro Airport.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)

OTHER NAMES: White-Tailed Sea Eagle, Erne

Latin Etymology: Haliaeetus ("Sea Eagle") albicilla ("white tail")

Adult White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) from Akan Crane Centre, Hokkaido, Japan - December 2014

Featured Subspecies: N/A

Weight: 3-7kg  /  Length: 70-90cm  /  Wingspan: 1.78-2.45m

UK RED LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The largest of all raptors found in the UK, I must admit somewhat cheating and finally caught up with this species on the other side of the world in Hokkaido.  This was however, not my first attempt to see this species - several years ago I spend a day walking round a field near Basingstoke of all places looking for a vagrant bird that had been staying there for a while (just my luck, after being there for a while I arrived the day it left).  In Britain this species went extinct early in the 20th Century and was only restored later by a reintroduction program in 1975 on the Isle of Rum in Scotland and has subsequently expanded its range.  Seeing it in Hokkaido as an affix to a trip to Tokyo is actually probably easier and cheaper than seeing them as a trip in the UK - I saw these eagles on over half the days we were in Hokkaido, though unfortunately the closest views of down to 10m were through dusty windows on a moving train in the mist - hardly ideal for photographs!

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Haliaeetus
Subspecies: None - Monotypic

 - Sighting Locations -

JAPAN - Japanese - オジロワシ  /  O-jiro washi  ("White-tailed Eagle")  ///   Ainu - Onneu ("Old and Large One")

Locally fairly common resident to Hokkaido.

 - TOKYO/HOKKAIDO 2014 TRIP: Seen from various locations including Akan Crane Centre, Akkeshi and Kushiro Airport in early December.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto  .

Black Kite (Milvus migrans)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Milvus ("kite") migrans ("migrating")

  Black Kite (subspecies M. m. lineatus) at Kamakura, Japan - November 2014

Featured Subspecies: Black-eared Kite (Milvus migrans lineatus)

Weight: 560-940kg  /  Length: 48-58cm  /  Wingspan: 130-155cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List - Least Concern

Despite it's absence from the UK except as a vagrant, the Black Kite is a massively common bird of prey when viewed on the global level, potentially the most abundant (though not widespread) of all raptors in general.  It is much more of a scavenger than most other birds of prey, which is part of the reason for its comparative success in the modern world.  Black Kites can be found across Europe, Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Australia.  In Japan, where I encountered the species they could be spotted circling around the fringes of cities.

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Milvus
Subspecies:  M. m. migrans, M. m. lineatus, M. m. govinda, M. m. affinis, M. m. formosanus

 - Sighting Locations -

JAPAN - Japanese - トビ  /  Tobi  ("Kite")  

Common resident.

 - KYOTO/OSAKA 2013 TRIP: Seen at throughout at random times in Kyoto and Osaka

 - TOKYO/HOKKAIDO 2014 TRIP: Abundant at Kamakura, several seen in Tokyo and a number seen at the Akan Crane Centre

SPAIN - Spanish - Milano negro - ("Black Kite")

Scarce and Local Resident

 - MADRID 2015 TRIP: Seen several times in Madrid and the surrounding farmlands
 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Abundant at  Monfrague and seen in numerous places elsewhere.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Brown-Eared Bulbul (Hypsipetes amaurotis)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Hypsipetes ("high flyer") amaurotis ("brown eared")

Adult Brown-eared Bulbul (subspecies H. a. amaurotis) in Tokyo, Japan - December 2014

Featured Subspecies: Hypsipetes amaurotis amaurotis
Weight: 30-35g  /  Length: 28cm  /  Wingspan: ?
ABSENT FROM UK  / IUCN Red List Least Concern

The Brown-eared Bulbul is a common but fairly shy species in Japan, while widespread it seems to be heard a lot more than you like to get good views of it, on my first trip to Japan, most of the time I saw them only distantly or heard them in the treetops.  On my second visit they were much more abundant however, and proved to be one of those species that often looked as if they would be something else, but then resulted in frustration when it turned out to be yet another Bulbul. They are thrush sized and fairly raucous, making a lot of loud noise wherever they go.  Apparently they are fairly omnivorous, eating fruits, seeds, insects and whatever else they can get hold of.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Pycnonotidae
Genus: Hypsipetes or Microscelis
Subspecies: H. a. hensoni, H. a. amaurotis, H. a .squamiceps, H. a .magnirostris, H. a .borodinosis, H. a. ogawae, H. a. pryeri, H. a. insignis, H. a. stejnegeri, H. a. harterti, H. a. batanensis, H. a. fugensis, H. a. camiguinensis

- Sighting Locations -

JAPAN - Japanese - ヒヨドリ  /  Hiyo-dori  ("Bulbul")

Abundant resident. 

 - KYOTO 2013 TRIP: Seen often throughout Kyoto and Arashiyama thought never with good views.

 - TOKYO/HOKKAIDO 2014 TRIP: Abundant in Tokyo and common in Hokkaido including Akkeshi, Kushiro and Akan Crane Centre

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Cygnus ("swan") cygnus ("swan")

Adult Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) in Frampton Marshes, Lincolnshire - August 2022

Featured Subspecies: N/A

Weight: 8-11kg  /  Length: 1.4-1.6m  /  Wingspan: 2-2.8cm
UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Whooper Swans are a large migratory swans that spend the Summer in Iceland and overwinter in the UK.  They are differentiated from Mute Swans by the yellow beak and from Bewick's swans by the larger size and the fact that the yellow on their beak is wedge shaped rather than rounded.  The wintering grounds are generally either in the North of the country, or in the general area of large estuaries such as the Wash and the Severn.  In the areas they frequent they can be seen grazing on fields in their family groups.  In Hokkaido, they are an abundant Winter visitor to wetlands and lakes, and can be seen easily even right next to towns. They are an important figure in Ainu mythology, regarded as a major divine spirit in the world.

Related Species:
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Cygnus
Subspecies: None - monotypic

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Rare breeding species (9-15 pairs) and locally numerous Winter migrant (15,000 birds)

 - One flock seen at Nene Washes in November 2012

JAPAN - Japanese - オオハクチョウ  / Oo-hakuchou ("Large Whitebird")  ///   Ainu: Pepap chikap ("Water-ladle birds") 

Locally abundant Winter migrant in Northern Japan.

 - TOKYO/HOKKAIDO 2014 TRIP: Abundant in Akkeshi and a number seen at Akan Crane Centre 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Carrion Crow (Corvus corone)

OTHER NAMES: Crow, Corbie, Gor Crow

Latin Etymology: Corvus ("raven") corone ("crow")

Left: Adult Carrion Crow (subspecies C. c. corone) at Regent's Park, London - April 2010

Right: Adult Carrion Crow (subspecies C. c. orientalis) at Akan Crane Centre, Hokkaido, Japan - December 2014

Featured Subspecies: Corvus corone corone AND Corvus corone orientalis
Weight: 370-650g  /  Length: 45-47cm  /  Wingspan: 93-104cm

UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The carrion crow is probably the most visible of the already (mostly) highly visibly crow family, it can be found across a wide number of habitats, but it probably most easily seen in parks and towns. In my experience, the best views are actually built up areas where the birds have become accustomed to scavenging from humans, for instance, the car parks of service stations. How approachable they are varies depending on population, with crows from more urban areas seeming less flighty than their more rural counterparts. The photo here was taken in London where I was able to get to within a few feet of the bird, whereas the previous photo taken in Bewick-Upon-Tweed was from a greater distance of a more flighty set of birds.  Internationally - in Austria they are at the edge of the Hooded and Carrion Crow range, so both are found, while in Japan it is less common in most places than the ubiquitous Large-billed Crow, but more common in Hokkaido.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Corvidae
Genus: Corvus
Subspecies: C. c. corone, C. c orientalis

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Very common resident (1,000,000 territories)

 - Birds seen at most sites including but not limited to Rutland Water, Trevose Head, Rainham Marshes, Regent's Park,Kensington Gardens, Pitsford Reservoir and Geddington.

AUSTRIA - Common breeding resident

 - TOKYO/HOKKAIDO 2014 TRIP - STOPOVER: Several birds around Vienna Airport 

JAPAN - Japanese - ハシボソガラス  / Hashi-boso garasu ("Slender-billed Crow")

Locally common resident.

 - TOKYO/HOKKAIDO 2014 TRIP: A few seen around Hokkaido including Akan Crane Centre, Kushiro and Shiranuka

SPAIN - Spanish - Corneja negra ("Black crow")
A fairly common resident.

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: A few seen around Monfrague National Park.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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