Squatter Pigeon

A large, long-tailed brown dove with a pale brown head and underparts and darker rufous-brown upperparts. Male displays limited barring on breast and a pale iridescent neck patch. Females show extensive barring on neck. Singles, pairs, and small groups inhabit forests, edges, gardens, and woodlands from sea level to the foothills. Larger than Black-billed Cuckoo-Dove and paler on underparts, without tail barring. Larger than Mackinlay’s Cuckoo-Dove, without breast spotting. Smaller than Great Cuckoo-Dove, with brown underside, unlike that species. Gives an incessant “whop-whop-whop-whop…”.

Endemic to Japan and the national bird. The male is striking with bottle-green underparts, purplish-blue neck and head with red facial skin. Upperparts are intricately patterned brown and powder-gray with a long, pointed tail. Females are entirely brown with spotted and scalloped pattern. Inhabits fields, hedgerows, and brushy areas. Female could be confused with female copper pheasant although that species is more tied to forest. Male gives a far-carrying “ko-kyok!” followed by a noisy wing flutter. Flushes loudly with an explosion of wings and hoarse calls.

A small, short-tailed parrot of lowland forest, forest edge, and lush gardens. Mostly found at low elevations, and sometimes up into the hills. Green body with dark blue in the wing, black forecrown and cheek, and a pale line separating the cheek, crown and bill. Males have an orange breast, while females have orange behind the dark cheek patch. Usually found in small groups. Most similar to Double-eyed Fig-Parrot, but Blue-fronted has blackish instead of red forecrown and cheek, and an orange breast. Calls, a sharp, high-pitched “tsik!” or excited twittering which often betrays their present in a tree.