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Birds of Japan
Lore covers 488 bird species that have been recorded in Japan, and 307 of them are regular birds you can reasonably expect to see. You learn them from real photos taken by birders, one question at a time: pick the right name, earn points and keep a daily streak. It is free and it works in your browser, no app needed.
The most common birds in Japan
These are the birds you will meet first. Lore starts every guide with the common species, so you learn what you actually see in the field.
- Grey HeronResident
Ardea cinerea - Eastern Spot-billed DuckResident
Anas zonorhyncha - Brown-eared BulbulResident
Hypsipetes amaurotis - Eurasian Tree SparrowResident
Passer montanus - White WagtailResident
Motacilla alba - Black KiteResident
Milvus migrans - Rock PigeonResident
Columba livia - Oriental Turtle-DoveResident
Streptopelia orientalis - Large-billed CrowResident
Corvus macrorhynchos - White-cheeked StarlingResident
Spodiopsar cineraceus - Asian TitResident
Parus cinereus - Great CormorantResident
Phalacrocorax carbo - Great EgretResident
Ardea alba - Barn SwallowSummer visitor
Hirundo rustica - Little EgretResident
Egretta garzetta - Common CootWinter visitor
Fulica atra - MallardResident
Anas platyrhynchos - Carrion CrowResident
Corvus corone - Warbling White-eyeResident
Zosterops japonicus - Blue Rock-ThrushResident
Monticola solitarius - Green-winged TealWinter visitor
Anas crecca - Eurasian WigeonWinter visitor
Mareca penelope - Common KingfisherResident
Alcedo atthis - Dusky ThrushWinter visitor
Turdus eunomus - Varied TitResident
Sittiparus varius - Bull-headed ShrikeResident
Lanius bucephalus - Daurian RedstartWinter visitor
Phoenicurus auroreus - Japanese WagtailResident
Motacilla grandis - Oriental GreenfinchResident
Chloris sinica - Meadow BuntingResident
Emberiza cioides - Little GrebeResident
Tachybaptus ruficollis - Japanese Pygmy WoodpeckerResident
Yungipicus kizuki - Tufted DuckWinter visitor
Aythya fuligula - Long-tailed TitResident
Aegithalos caudatus - Black-tailed GullResident
Larus crassirostris - Grey WagtailResident
Motacilla cinerea
Birds in Japan through the year
Of the 307 regular birds in Japan, Lore counts 130 resident species that stay all year, 41 summer visitors, 63 winter visitors and 20 passage migrants. The rest are partly migratory or irregular.
Most species are present in April (256 regular birds) and the fewest in July (200). Lore's guides follow the seasons, so you can learn the birds that are around this month, or the ones that arrive next month.
Regular birds present per month.
Which bird families are most common in Japan?
The families with the most regular species in Japan are Ducks, Geese, and Swans (36), Sandpipers and Allies (28), Old World Flycatchers, Robins, and Chats (15), Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers (15) and Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns (14).
How Lore teaches you the birds
- Real photos. Every picture was taken by a birder and credited in the game.
- Guides for your region. Common birds, year-round birds, summer and winter visitors, birds by family, and more.
- A daily mystery bird. Clues first, the photo last.
- Challenges. Play the same birds as your friends in a group, or join the open Ultimate Birders' Challenge.
More birds in Asia
Frequently asked questions
How many birds can I learn in Japan? Lore has 488 species for Japan, of which 307 are regular. The most common are the Grey Heron, Eastern Spot-billed Duck and Brown-eared Bulbul.
Is Lore free? Yes. Lore is free, has no ads and is made as a hobby. You do not need an account to start.
Where do the photos and data come from? Photos come from iNaturalist and Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons licences, and rarity and names come from eBird. See the photo credits.
Lore is free and made as a hobby. Photos: iNaturalist observers and Wikimedia Commons (CC licences). Names and rarity data: eBird. Photo credits · All regions · Follow Lore on Instagram.