Rare Birds in Japan
Our list for Japan has 53 rare birds recorded regularly there: 5 residents, 10 summer visitors, 13 winter visitors, 21 passage migrants and 4 scarce visitors
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Japan in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 53, most common first
Yellow-browed WarblerPhylloscopus inornatusWinter visitorRare10–11 cmRegularly Oct–May
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusWinter visitorRare34–43 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
FulmarFulmarus glacialisSummer visitorRare45–50 cmRegularly Feb–Nov
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorRare53–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
HobbyFalco subbuteoSummer visitorRare28–35 cmRegularly May–Oct
Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticolaResidentRare33–38 cmRegularly Oct–Aug
Crested MynaAcridotheres cristatellusResidentRare24–27 cmRecorded all year
Purple HeronArdea purpureaSummer visitorRare78–90 cmRegularly Nov–Sep
Pacific LoonGavia pacificaWinter visitorRare58–74 cmRegularly Oct–Jun
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorRare69–84 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Indian PeafowlPavo cristatusSummer visitorRare86–230 cmRegularly Mar–Jan
Roseate TernSterna dougalliiSummer visitorRare33–41 cmRegularly May–Aug
Arctic LoonGavia arcticaWinter visitorRare58–77 cmRegularly Nov–Jun
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusSummer visitorRare50–90 cmRegularly Nov–Sep
Brent GooseBranta berniclaWinter visitorRare55–66 cmRegularly Oct–May
AvocetRecurvirostra avosettaWinter visitorRare42–45 cmRegularly Oct–May
Rock PtarmiganLagopus mutaSummer visitorRare34–36 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Long-billed DowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceusWinter visitorRare27–30 cmRegularly Aug–Apr
Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotosPassage migrantRare19–23 cmRegularly Aug–Oct
Leach's Storm-petrelHydrobates leucorhousSummer visitorRare18–21 cmRegularly Apr–Nov
Iceland GullLarus glaucoidesPassage migrantRare52–60 cmRegularly Jan–Mar
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataResidentRare66–84 cmRecorded all year
Little StintCalidris minutaPassage migrantRare13–15 cmRegularly Apr–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