Birds to See in Japan in August
102 bird species on our list for Japan are recorded regularly in August
Of these, the most often recorded are Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Grey Heron, Carrion Crow, Barn Swallow and Rock Dove. New this month: Black-headed Gull, Hawfinch, White-tailed Sea-eagle and Dunlin and 17 more.
On the move in August
GBIF · AugArriving
At their peak
Black-tailed GullBusiest month of the year · All year
Little Ringed PloverBusiest month of the year · All year
Wood SandpiperBusiest month of the year · Feb–May
Sand MartinBusiest month of the year · Apr–Oct
Swan GooseBusiest month of the year · Jul–May
Red-necked PhalaropeBusiest month of the year · Apr–Oct
From Japan’s bird records, 2019–2024: arriving birds are regular this month but not last; leaving birds are regular this month but not next.
Other months
All 102 birds in August
102 birds
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanusResidentCommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 5.95% in Aug
Grey HeronArdea cinereaResidentCommon90–98 cmRecorded all year · 4.63% in Aug
Carrion CrowCorvus coroneResidentCommon45–47 cmRecorded all year · 3.75% in Aug
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaSummer visitorCommon17–19 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 3.61% in Aug
Rock DoveColumba liviaResidentCommon31–34 cmRecorded all year · 3.55% in Aug
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carboResidentCommon80–100 cmRecorded all year · 3.31% in Aug
Great White EgretArdea albaResidentCommon80–104 cmRecorded all year · 3.25% in Aug
Pied WagtailMotacilla albaResidentCommon17–19 cmRecorded all year · 3.04% in Aug
Little EgretEgretta garzettaResidentCommon55–65 cmRecorded all year · 2.59% in Aug- Black-tailed GullLarus crassirostrisSummer visitorCommon43–51 cmRecorded all year · 1.50% in Aug
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollisResidentCommon23–29 cmRecorded all year · 1.33% in Aug
Common KingfisherAlcedo atthisResidentCommon16–17 cmRecorded all year · 1.30% in Aug
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucosWinter visitorCommon18–20 cmRecorded all year · 1.20% in Aug
Blue Rock-thrushMonticola solitariusResidentCommon21–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.18% in Aug
Japanese WagtailMotacilla grandisResidentCommon20–23 cmRecorded all year · 1.04% in Aug- Little Ringed PloverThinornis dubiusSummer visitorCommon14–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.71% in Aug
Black-crowned Night-heronNycticorax nycticoraxResidentCommon58–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.61% in Aug
Eurasian SkylarkAlauda arvensisResidentCommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in Aug
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year · 0.60% in Aug
OspreyPandion haliaetusResidentCommon54–58 cmRecorded all year · 0.52% in Aug
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatusResidentCommon13–16 cmRecorded all year · 0.49% in Aug
MoorhenGallinula chloropusResidentUncommon30–38 cmRecorded all year · 0.44% in Aug
GreenshankTringa nebulariaWinter visitorCommon30–35 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.42% in Aug
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinereaResidentCommon17–20 cmRecorded all year · 0.39% in Aug
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos majorResidentCommon23–26 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Aug
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaeaResidentUncommon12–15 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Aug
Coal TitPeriparus aterResidentCommon10–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.32% in Aug- Wood SandpiperTringa glareolaPassage migrantUncommon19–21 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.31% in Aug
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaWinter visitorUncommon27–30 cmRecorded all year · 0.26% in Aug
Kentish PloverCharadrius alexandrinusResidentUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.26% in Aug
Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpresPassage migrantUncommon21–24 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.26% in Aug
KestrelFalco tinnunculusResidentUncommon32–39 cmRecorded all year · 0.24% in Aug
SanderlingCalidris albaWinter visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.23% in Aug
Pacific Golden-PloverPluvialis fulvaWinter visitorUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.22% in Aug
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopusSummer visitorUncommon40–46 cmRegularly Jan–Oct · 0.19% in Aug
Willow TitPoecile montanusResidentUncommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Aug
Marsh TitPoecile palustrisResidentUncommon12–13 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Aug
CootFulica atraWinter visitorCommon36–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.19% in Aug
White-tailed Sea-eagleHaliaeetus albicillaWinter visitorUncommon66–94 cmRegularly Aug–Feb · 0.17% in Aug
Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameriResidentUncommon38–42 cmRecorded all year · 0.17% in Aug
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandariusResidentCommon32–35 cmRecorded all year · 0.15% in Aug
Green SandpiperTringa ochropusWinter visitorUncommon21–24 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.14% in Aug
Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegusResidentUncommon40–45 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Aug
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponicaSummer visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Mar–Oct · 0.13% in Aug
PochardAythya ferinaWinter visitorCommon42–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.13% in Aug- Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.12% in Aug
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatusWinter visitorCommon46–51 cmRecorded all year · 0.12% in Aug
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Aug
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorCommon59–76 cmRecorded all year · 0.11% in Aug
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundusWinter visitorCommon38–44 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.10% in Aug
Mandarin DuckAix galericulataResidentUncommon41–49 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Aug
Little TernSternula albifronsSummer visitorUncommon21–25 cmRegularly Apr–Aug · 0.10% in Aug
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytesResidentUncommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.10% in Aug- Swan GooseAnser cygnoidesWinter visitorUncommon81–94 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.09% in Aug
Red-flanked BluetailTarsiger cyanurusResidentUncommon13–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.09% in Aug
DunlinCalidris alpinaWinter visitorUncommon16–22 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.08% in Aug
RedshankTringa totanusWinter visitorUncommon27–29 cmRecorded all year · 0.08% in Aug
TreecreeperCerthia familiarisResidentUncommon12–14 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Aug
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoWinter visitorUncommon25–27 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.07% in Aug
Greater ScaupAythya marilaResidentCommon39–56 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Aug
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorUncommon58–68 cmRecorded all year · 0.07% in Aug
Scaly-breasted MuniaLonchura punctulataResidentUncommon11–12 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Aug
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhulaResidentUncommon15–17 cmRecorded all year · 0.06% in Aug
RuffCalidris pugnaxPassage migrantUncommon20–32 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.06% in Aug- Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatusSummer visitorUncommon18–19 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.06% in Aug
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclusResidentUncommon14–16 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.05% in Aug
Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosaPassage migrantUncommon40–44 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.05% in Aug
CurlewNumenius arquataWinter visitorUncommon50–60 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.05% in Aug
GoldcrestRegulus regulusResidentUncommon9–10 cmRecorded all year · 0.04% in Aug
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisusWinter visitorUncommon28–38 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.04% in Aug
HawfinchCoccothraustes coccothraustesWinter visitorCommon17–18 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.04% in Aug
Common TernSterna hirundoSummer visitorUncommon31–35 cmRegularly Mar–Dec · 0.03% in Aug
Red KnotCalidris canutusPassage migrantUncommon23–26 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.03% in Aug
Temminck's StintCalidris temminckiiWinter visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Aug–May · 0.03% in Aug
Sharp-tailed SandpiperCalidris acuminataPassage migrantUncommon17–22 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.03% in Aug
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusSummer visitorRare50–90 cmRegularly Nov–Sep · 0.02% in Aug
HobbyFalco subbuteoSummer visitorRare28–35 cmRegularly May–Oct · 0.02% in Aug
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataResidentRare66–84 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Aug
Rock PtarmiganLagopus mutaSummer visitorRare34–36 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.02% in Aug
Crested MynaAcridotheres cristatellusResidentRare24–27 cmRecorded all year · 0.02% in Aug
Pomarine JaegerStercorarius pomarinusSummer visitorUncommon46–51 cmRegularly Feb–Dec · 0.02% in Aug
Purple HeronArdea purpureaSummer visitorRare78–90 cmRegularly Nov–Sep · 0.02% in Aug
Roseate TernSterna dougalliiSummer visitorRare33–41 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.02% in Aug
Sooty ShearwaterArdenna griseaSummer visitorUncommon40–51 cmRegularly Apr–Oct · 0.02% in Aug
Arctic JaegerStercorarius parasiticusPassage migrantRare41–46 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.02% in Aug
Long-billed DowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceusWinter visitorRare27–30 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.02% in Aug
Indian PeafowlPavo cristatusSummer visitorRare86–230 cmRegularly Mar–Jan · 0.01% in Aug
Little StintCalidris minutaPassage migrantRare13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Jan · 0.01% in Aug
FulmarFulmarus glacialisSummer visitorRare45–50 cmRegularly Feb–Nov · 0.01% in Aug
Long-tailed JaegerStercorarius longicaudusSummer visitorUncommon48–58 cmRegularly Mar–Aug · 0.01% in Aug
Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferrugineaPassage migrantRare18–23 cmRegularly Apr–Sep · 0.01% in Aug
Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodiaWinter visitorUncommon80–90 cmRegularly Jul–May · 0.01% in Aug
Leach's Storm-petrelHydrobates leucorhousSummer visitorRare18–21 cmRegularly Apr–Nov · 0.01% in Aug
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosPassage migrantRare19–23 cmRegularly Aug–Oct · 0.01% in Aug
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticulaWinter visitorRare17–19 cmRegularly Aug–Apr · 0.01% in Aug
GarganeySpatula querquedulaWinter visitorUncommon37–41 cmRegularly Aug–Jun · 0.01% in Aug
Black SwanCygnus atratusPassage migrantRare110–142 cmRegularly Jul–Mar · 0.01% in Aug
White-winged TernChlidonias leucopterusPassage migrantRare20–27 cmRegularly May–Sep · 0.01% in Aug
WryneckJynx torquillaResidentUncommon16–18 cmRecorded all year · 0.01% in Aug
Grey PhalaropePhalaropus fulicariusPassage migrantRare20–22 cmRegularly Mar–Aug · 0.01% in Aug
Eurasian Collared DoveStreptopelia decaoctoPassage migrantRare30–32 cmRegularly May–Aug · 0.00% in Aug
Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticolaResidentRare33–38 cmRegularly Oct–Aug · 0.00% in Aug
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