PO Box 9021, Wilmington, DE 19809, USA
E-mail: font@focusonnature.com
Phone: Toll-free in USA 1-888-721-3555
 or 302/529-1876

Shorebirds in Japan 
during Focus On Nature Tours

a compilation by Armas Hill 

Amami Woodcock

Upcoming FONT Birding & Nature Tours in Japan

Some Previous FONT Japan Tour Highlights

A Japan Bird-List & Photo Gallery in 2 Parts
Part 1: Pheasants to Pittas
including Shorebirds

53 species of shorebirds, or waders, have been found during FONT birding & nature tours in Japan. A list of them follows. 

Islands where birds have been seen and months when seen are indicated in the following list.
Japanese names follow English names. Scientific names reflect subspecies.

Japanese islands are (from north to south):
hk: Hokkaido
hn: Honshu
ky: Kyushu
am: Amami
ok: Okinawa
ns: other islands in Nansei Shoto

1. Eurasian Oystercatcher  (Miyakodori)
   Haematopus ostralegus osculans       
   jan,apr 
   hn,ky
   
   

2. Black-winged Stilt  (Seitaka-shigi) 
   Himantopus h. himantopus                
   jan,apr,may,dec        
   hn,ok
   
   
   
   
   Black-winged Stilts photographed during a FONT tour in Japan
   (Photo by Paul West) 
   
   

3. Pied Avocet  (Sorihashi-seitaka-shigi)
   Recurvirostra avosetta            
   jan
   ok
   
   

4. Long-billed Plover  (Ikaru-chidori)
   Charadrius placidus japonicus                     
   jan,feb,may,jun,nov 
   hn,ky,am
   
   

5. Little Ringed Plover  (Ko-chidori)
   Charadrius dubius curonicus                
   jan,feb,apr,may,jun,nov,dec 
   hk,hn,ky,am,ok
   
   

6. Common Ringed Plover  (Hajiro-ko-chidori)
   Charadrius hiaticula tundrae                        
   jan,may,dec 
   hk,hn,ky,am
   
   

7. Kentish Plover  (Shiro-chidori)  (was conspecific with the Snowy Plover of North America)              
   Charadrius alexandrinus nihonensis
   jan,feb,apr,may,jun,nov,dec 
   hn,ky,am,ok
   
   

8. Lesser Sand Plover  (Medai-chidori)  (has been called Mongolian Plover) 
   Charadrius mongulus stegmanni        
   jan,feb,apr,may,nov,dec 
   hn,am,ok
   
   
   
   
   Lesser Sand Plover
   
   

9. Greater Sand Plover  (O-medai-chidori) (rare in Japan) 
   Charadrius leschenaultii    
   jan 
   am
   
   

10. Pacific Golden Plover  (Munaguro)
    Pluvialis fulva    
    jan,feb,apr,may,jun,nov,dec 
    hk,hn,ky,am,ok
    
    

11. Grey Plover  (Daizen)  (has been called Black-bellied Plover in North America)
    Pluvialis squatarola
    jan,feb,apr,may,nov,dec    
    hn,ky,am,ok 
    
    

12. Gray-headed Lapwing  (Keri)
    Vanellus cinereus        
    jan,feb,may,jun,nov,dec 
    hn,ky,ok
    
    

13. Northern Lapwing  (Tageri)
    Vanellus vanellus             
    jan,feb,nov,dec 
    hn,ky,am,ok
    
    

14. Greater Painted Snipe  (Tama-shigi) 
    Rostratula benghalensis benghalensis       
    jan,feb,may 
    ky,ok
    
    

15. Pheasant-tailed Jacana  (Renkaku)
    Hydrophasianus chirurgus
    nov 
    ok
    
    

16. Eurasian Woodcock  (Yama-shigi)
    Scolopax rusticola            
    jan,nov,dec 
    am,ok
    
    

17. Amami Woodcock  (Amami-yama-shigi) (PHOTO AT TOP OF PAGE)
    Scolopax mira                
    jan,feb,nov,dec
    am,ok
    
    

18. Common Snipe  (Ta-shigi)
    Gallinago gallinago       
    jan,feb,apr,may,nov 
    hn,ky,am,ok
        
    

19. Latham's Snipe  (Oji-shigi)
    Gallinago hardwickii    
    may,jun 
    hk,hn
    
    

20. Solitary Snipe  (Ao-shigi)
    Gallinago solitaria japonica
    jan
    hn
    
    

21. Pintail Snipe  (Hario-shigi)
    Gallinago stenura                        
    jan,feb,nov 
    ok
    
    

22. Swinhoe's Snipe  (Chuji-shigi)
    Gallinago megala                
    jan,feb,nov 
    ok
    
    

23. Jack Snipe  (Ko-shigi)
    Lymnocryptes minimus                            
    apr 
    hn(Hegura Is)
    
    

24. Bar-tailed Godwit  (O-sorihashi-shigi) 
    Limosa lapponica baueri                
    jan,feb,apr,may  
    hn,am,ok
    
    
    
    
    Bar-tailed Godwits photographed during a FONT tour in Japan
    (Photo by Paul West) 
    
    

25. Black-tailed Godwit  (Oguro-shigi)
    Limosa limosa melanuroides            
    may 
    hn,ok
    
    

26. Eurasian Curlew  (Daishaku-shigi)
    Numenius arquata orientalis                
    jan,feb,may,dec 
    hn,ky,am,ok
    
    

27. Eastern Curlew  (Horoku-shigi)  (has been called Far Eastern Curlew)
    Numenius madagascariensis    
    jan,apr,may 
    hn,ok
    
    

28. "Eurasian" Whimbrel  (Chushaku-shigi)
    Numenius phaeopus variegatus                            
    jan,apr,may,nov 
    hn,am,ok
    
    

29. Spotted Redshank  (Tsuru-shigi)
    Tringa erythropus                
    jan,may 
    hn,ok
    
    

30. Common Redshank  (Akaashi-shigi)
    Tringa totanus eurhinus            
    jan,feb,may,nov 
    hn,am,ok 
    
    

31. Common Greenshank  (Aoashi-shigi)
    Tringa nebularia    
    jan,feb,apr,may,nov,dec 
    hn,ky,am,ok
    
    

32. Marsh Sandpiper  (Ko-aoashi-shigi)
    Tringa stagnatilis    
    jan,may,nov 
    am,ok
    
    

33. Green Sandpiper  (Kusa-shigi)
    Tringa ochropus   
    jan,feb,apr,may,nov,dec 
    hn,ky,am,ok
    
    

34. Wood Sandpiper  (Takabu-shigi)
    Tringa glareola
    jan,feb,may,nov 
    hn,ky,ok
    
    

35. Terek Sandpiper  (Sorihashi-shigi)
    Xenus cinereus   
    may,jun 
    hk,hn,am,ok
    
    

36. Common Sandpiper  (Iso-shigi)
    Actitis hypoleucos    
    jan,feb,apr,may,jun,nov,dec 
    hk,hn,ky,am,ok
    
    

37. Gray-tailed (or Polynesian) Tattler  (Kiashi-shigi)
    Heteroscelus brevipes     
    jan,feb,may,jun,nov,dec 
    hk,hn,ky,am,ok,ns
    
    

38. Ruddy Turnstone  (Kyojo-shigi)
    Arenaria i. interpres                
    jan,feb,apr,may,nov,dec 
    hn,am,ok,ns
    
    

39. Great Knot  (Oba-shigi)
    Calidris tenuirostris                        
    apr,may 
    hn
    
    

40. Red Knot  (Ko-oba-shigi)
    Calidris canutus rogersi                            
    may  
    hn,am
    
    

41. Red-necked Stint  (Tonen) (has also been called Rufous-necked Stint)  
    Calidris ruficollis                
    jan,feb,apr,may,nov,dec 
    hn,ky,am,ok
    
    
    
    
    Red-necked Stint
    
    

42. Little Stint  (Nishi-tonen) (rare in Japan)
    Calidris minuta    
    may 
    am
    
    

43. Temminck's Stint  (Ojiro-tonen)
    Calidris temminckii                
    jan,feb,nov 
    ky,ok
    
    

44. Long-toed Stint  (Hibari-shigi)  
    Calidris subminuta  
    jan,feb,may 
    hn,ok
    
    
    
    
    Long-toed Stint
    
    

45. Sharp-tailed Sandpiper  (Urura-shigi)  
    Calidris acuminata       
    may 
    hn,am
    
    
    
    
    Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
    
    

46. Curlew Sandpiper  (Saruhama-shigi)
    Calidris ferruginea                
    may 
    hn,am
    
    

47. Dunlin  (Hama-shigi)
    Calidris alpina sakhalina                                   
    jan,feb,apr,may,nov,dec 
    hk,hn,ky,am,ok
    
    

48. Sanderling  (Miyubi-shigi)
    Calidris alba                         
    jan,apr,may,nov,dec 
    hn,ky
    
    

49. Broad-billed Sandpiper  (Kiriai)
    Limicola falcinellus        
    may 
    hn
    
    

50. Ruff / Reeve  (Erimaki-shigi)
    Philomachus pugnax                            
    jan,nov
    ky,ok
    
    

51. Oriental Pratincole  (Tsubame-chidori)
    Glareola maldivarum    
    may 
    am
    
    

52. Red-necked Phalarope  (Akaeri-hireashi-shigi)
    Phalaropus lobatus    
    jan,may,jun,nov 
    hn(pelagic)
    
    

53. Red Phalarope  (Haiiro-hireashi-shigi)  (has also been called Grey Phalarope)
    Phalaropus fulicarius     
    apr,may,jun 
    hn(pelagic)
    
    
    
    
    
    Whimbrels and a Bar-tailed Godwit during a FONT tour in Japan in the spring
    (Photo by Paul West)
    

To Top of Page.