Birds to See in China in January
173 species listed for January · birdwatchers' records, 2019–2024
173 bird species on our list for China are recorded regularly in January. Of these, the most often recorded are Pied Wagtail, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Little Grebe, Little Egret and Moorhen. New this month: Red Knot, Desert Finch, Buzzard and Redwing and 5 more.
New in January9
Residents
(71)Recorded all year
Pied Wagtail
Motacilla albaLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Passer montanusLC
Recorded all year
Little Grebe
Tachybaptus ruficollisLC
Recorded all year
Little Egret
Egretta garzettaLC
Recorded all year
Moorhen
Gallinula chloropusLC
Recorded all year
Grey Heron
Ardea cinereaLC
Recorded all year
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchosLC
Recorded all year
Coot
Fulica atraLC
Recorded all year
Crested Myna
Acridotheres cristatellusLC
Recorded all year
Common Kingfisher
Alcedo atthisLC
Recorded all year
Great Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carboLC
Recorded all year
Great White Egret
Ardea albaLC
Recorded all year
Black-crowned Night-heron
Nycticorax nycticoraxLC
Recorded all year
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dendrocopos majorLC
Recorded all year
Kestrel
Falco tinnunculusLC
Recorded all year
Great Crested Grebe
Podiceps cristatusLC
Recorded all year
Black-headed Gull
Chroicocephalus ridibundusLC
Recorded all year
Hoopoe
Upupa epopsLC
Recorded all year
Common Pheasant
Phasianus colchicusLC
Recorded all year
Grey Wagtail
Motacilla cinereaLC
Recorded all year
Greenshank
Tringa nebulariaLC
Recorded all year
Ruddy Shelduck
Tadorna ferrugineaLC
Recorded all year
Marsh Tit
Poecile palustrisLC
Recorded all year
Common Sandpiper
Actitis hypoleucosLC
Recorded all year
Carrion Crow
Corvus coroneLC
Recorded all year
Plumbeous Water-redstart
Phoenicurus fuliginosusLC
Recorded all year
Scaly-breasted Munia
Lonchura punctulataLC
Recorded all year
Avocet
Recurvirostra avosettaLC
Recorded all year
Kentish Plover
Charadrius alexandrinusLC
Recorded all year
Mandarin Duck
Aix galericulataLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Wren
Troglodytes troglodytesLC
Recorded all year
Common Shelduck
Tadorna tadornaLC
Recorded all year
Spotted Redshank
Tringa erythropusLC
Recorded all year
Rock Dove
Columba liviaLC
Recorded all year
Black-necked Grebe
Podiceps nigricollisLC
Recorded all year
Curlew
Numenius arquataNT
Recorded all year
Greylag Goose
Anser anserLC
Recorded all year
Grey Plover
Pluvialis squatarolaLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Jay
Garrulus glandariusLC
Recorded all year
White-tailed Robin
Myiomela leucuraLC
Recorded all year
Blue Rock-thrush
Monticola solitariusLC
Recorded all year
Black Eagle
Ictinaetus malaiensisLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Bittern
Botaurus stellarisLC
Recorded all year
Coal Tit
Periparus aterLC
Recorded all year
Red-crested Pochard
Netta rufinaLC
Recorded all year
Willow Tit
Poecile montanusLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Collared Dove
Streptopelia decaoctoLC
Recorded all year
Rook
Corvus frugilegusLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Nuthatch
Sitta europaeaLC
Recorded all year
Cinereous Vulture
Aegypius monachusNT
Regularly Oct–Aug
Bluethroat
Luscinia svecicaLC
Regularly Sep–Jul
Black Swan
Cygnus atratusLC
Recorded all year
Red Junglefowl
Gallus gallusLC
Recorded all year
Horned Grebe
Podiceps auritusVU
Regularly Apr–Feb
Common Starling
Sturnus vulgarisLC
Recorded all year
Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetosLC
Recorded all year
Bar-headed Goose
Anser indicusLC
Recorded all year
Red Crossbill
Loxia curvirostraLC
Recorded all year
Little Owl
Athene noctuaLC
Recorded all year
Bearded Tit
Panurus biarmicusLC
Recorded all year
Blue-eared Barbet
Psilopogon cyanotisLC
Regularly Oct–Aug
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebsLC
Regularly Oct–Aug
Treecreeper
Certhia familiarisLC
Recorded all year
Mute Swan
Cygnus olorLC
Regularly Sep–Jul
Reed Bunting
Emberiza schoeniclusLC
Recorded all year
Orange-headed Thrush
Geokichla citrinaLC
Recorded all year
Chukar
Alectoris chukarLC
Recorded all year
Glossy Ibis
Plegadis falcinellusLC
Regularly Dec–Sep
Bonelli's Eagle
Aquila fasciataLC
Recorded all year
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Dryobates minorLC
Regularly May–Mar
Muscovy Duck
Cairina moschataLC
Recorded all year
Summer visitors
(28)Arrives to breed; scarce or absent in winter
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rusticaLC
Recorded all year
Little Ringed Plover
Thinornis dubiusLC
Recorded all year
Wood Sandpiper
Tringa glareolaLC
Recorded all year
Redshank
Tringa totanusLC
Recorded all year
Black-tailed Gull
Larus crassirostrisLC
Recorded all year
Red-billed Chough
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocoraxLC
Recorded all year
Black-tailed Godwit
Limosa limosaNT
Recorded all year
Oriental Honey-buzzard
Pernis ptilorhynchusLC
Recorded all year
Sanderling
Calidris albaLC
Recorded all year
Common Rosefinch
Carpodacus erythrinusLC
Recorded all year
Purple Heron
Ardea purpureaLC
Recorded all year
Horned Lark
Eremophila alpestrisLC
Regularly Apr–Feb
House Sparrow
Passer domesticusLC
Recorded all year
Crag Martin
Ptyonoprogne rupestrisLC
Regularly Mar–Jan
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopusLC
Regularly Apr–Jan
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegusNT
Recorded all year
Common Raven
Corvus coraxLC
Recorded all year
Bar-tailed Godwit
Limosa lapponicaNT
Recorded all year
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpresLC
Recorded all year
Lady Amherst's Pheasant
Chrysolophus amherstiaeLC
Regularly Dec–Oct
Twite
Linaria flavirostrisLC
Recorded all year
Dipper
Cinclus cinclusLC
Recorded all year
Chiffchaff
Phylloscopus collybitaLC
Regularly Jan–Oct
Red Knot
Calidris canutusNT
Regularly Mar–Jan
Magpie
Pica picaLC
Regularly May–Feb
Golden Pheasant
Chrysolophus pictusLC
Recorded all year
Buzzard
Buteo buteoLC
Regularly May–Jan
Desert Finch
Rhodospiza obsoletaLC
Regularly Jan–Aug
Winter visitors
(67)Present outside the breeding season
Eurasian Teal
Anas creccaLC
Regularly Sep–May
Red-flanked Bluetail
Tarsiger cyanurusLC
Regularly Oct–Apr
Brambling
Fringilla montifringillaLC
Regularly Oct–May
Yellow-browed Warbler
Phylloscopus inornatusLC
Regularly Aug–May
Common Merganser
Mergus merganserLC
Regularly Jun–Apr
Green Sandpiper
Tringa ochropusLC
Recorded all year
Gadwall
Mareca streperaLC
Recorded all year
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelopeLC
Regularly Sep–May
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligulaLC
Regularly Jun–Apr
Dusky Thrush
Turdus eunomusLC
Regularly Oct–May
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeataLC
Regularly Sep–Jun
Pochard
Aythya ferinaVU
Recorded all year
Water Pipit
Anthus spinolettaLC
Regularly Oct–Apr
Northern Pintail
Anas acutaLC
Regularly Sep–Apr
Common Snipe
Gallinago gallinagoLC
Regularly Aug–Jun
Northern Lapwing
Vanellus vanellusNT
Recorded all year
Eurasian Spoonbill
Platalea leucorodiaLC
Recorded all year
Sparrowhawk
Accipiter nisusLC
Recorded all year
Vega Gull
Larus vegaeLC
Regularly Jun–Apr
Dunlin
Calidris alpinaLC
Regularly Jul–May
Smew
Mergellus albellusLC
Regularly Nov–Apr
Hen Harrier
Circus cyaneusLC
Regularly Sep–May
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinusLC
Recorded all year
Common Crane
Grus grusLC
Regularly Jul–Mar
Eurasian Siskin
Spinus spinusLC
Regularly Oct–Jul
Hawfinch
Coccothraustes coccothraustesLC
Regularly Oct–May
Tundra Swan
Cygnus columbianusLC
Regularly Oct–Apr
Swan Goose
Anser cygnoidesEN
Recorded all year
Goldcrest
Regulus regulusLC
Recorded all year
Tundra Bean Goose
Anser serrirostrisLC
Regularly Oct–Apr
Taiga Bean Goose
Anser fabalisLC
Regularly Oct–Apr
Goldeneye
Bucephala clangulaLC
Regularly Oct–Jun
Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser albifronsLC
Regularly Oct–Apr
Osprey
Pandion haliaetusLC
Regularly Jul–May
Greater Scaup
Aythya marilaLC
Regularly Oct–Mar
Japanese Waxwing
Bombycilla japonicaNT
Regularly Nov–May
Eurasian Skylark
Alauda arvensisLC
Recorded all year
Bohemian Waxwing
Bombycilla garrulusLC
Regularly Nov–May
White-crested Laughingthrush
Garrulax leucolophusLC
Regularly Sep–May
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serratorLC
Regularly Oct–May
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscusLC
Regularly Aug–May
Long-tailed Tit
Aegithalos caudatusLC
Recorded all year
Common Gull
Larus canusLC
Regularly Sep–May
Whooper Swan
Cygnus cygnusLC
Recorded all year
White-tailed Sea-eagle
Haliaeetus albicillaLC
Regularly Oct–Mar
Pacific Golden-Plover
Pluvialis fulvaLC
Regularly Jul–May
Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeusLC
Regularly Oct–Apr
Temminck's Stint
Calidris temminckiiLC
Regularly Jul–May
Lapland Longspur
Calcarius lapponicusLC
Regularly Oct–Mar
Long-tailed Duck
Clangula hyemalisVU
Regularly Dec–Mar
Northern Goshawk
Astur gentilisLC
Regularly Sep–Jul
Eurasian Woodcock
Scolopax rusticolaLC
Regularly Sep–May
Water Rail
Rallus aquaticusLC
Regularly Jun–Mar
Bullfinch
Pyrrhula pyrrhulaLC
Regularly Oct–Jun
Wryneck
Jynx torquillaLC
Recorded all year
Common Redpoll
Acanthis flammeaLC
Regularly Oct–Mar
Merlin
Falco columbariusLC
Regularly Oct–Apr
Red-throated Loon
Gavia stellataLC
Regularly Dec–Mar
Long-eared Owl
Asio otusLC
Regularly Sep–Jul
Rough-legged Hawk
Buteo lagopusLC
Regularly Oct–Mar
Garganey
Spatula querquedulaLC
Regularly Aug–Jun
Meadow Pipit
Anthus pratensisLC
Regularly Dec–Apr
Kittiwake
Rissa tridactylaVU
Regularly Nov–Apr
Snow Bunting
Plectrophenax nivalisLC
Regularly Nov–Feb
Snowy Owl
Bubo scandiacusVU
Regularly Nov–Mar
Ruff
Calidris pugnaxLC
Regularly Jul–May
Sandhill Crane
Antigone canadensisLC
Regularly Dec–Feb
Passage migrants
(7)Seen mainly in spring and autumn migration
Greater Flamingo
Phoenicopterus roseusLC
Regularly Oct–Apr
Arctic Loon
Gavia arcticaLC
Regularly Jan–Apr
Redwing
Turdus iliacusNT
Regularly Jan–Feb
Blossom-headed Parakeet
Psittacula roseataNT
Regularly Jan–Mar
Snow Goose
Anser caerulescensLC
Regularly Nov–Mar
Red-breasted Goose
Branta ruficollisVU
Regularly Nov–Jan
Black Grouse
Lyrurus tetrixLC
Regularly May–Jan
Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made