Japanese Cormorant
Phalacrocorax capillatus
A large dark cormorant of rocky marine shorelines, rarely recorded inland, unlike similar Great Cormorant, which is widespread inland. Similar to Great, but adult has more extensive white in the throat and in breeding plumage shows green (not bronze) sheen above. Juvenile usually has paler underparts than young Great. In all plumages, Japanese shows more bare orange-yellow skin above the eye than Great but has a much smaller gular pouch (bare skin of the throat).
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Phalacrocorax capillatus
- Authority
- (Temminck & Schlegel, 1850)
- Order
- Suliformes
- Family
- Phalacrocoracidae
- Genus
- Phalacrocorax
Range and habitat
- Breeding range
- PAL : ne Asian coasts: se Russia including Sakhalin, s Kuril Is., Hokkaido to Kyushu (n to s Japan), Korean Pen. and ne China
- Non-breeding range
- to Izu Is., n Ryukyu Is. (=Nansei Shoto; se, sw Japan), coastal e China and Taiwan
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- unknown
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Jackson's Spurfowl
Pternistis jacksoni
Large, chunky brown francolin with a red bill, red legs, and bare red skin around the eye. Found in montane forest, forest edge, moorland, and grassland. Often in pairs or small groups that are often quite approachable. The common vocalization is a series of loud, rough “skraa” notes. Similar to Scaly Francolin, but larger and richer brown, with red bare skin around the eye.
Eastern Paradise-Whydah
Vidua paradisaea
The breeding male is buff, chestnut, and black with a 21-centimeter tail that is laterally flattened with both short bulging feathers and long, tapering dagger-like feathers. The female and non-breeding male have a strongly contrasting black-and-white head, including a characteristic dark bill and a double “C” pattern under the ear. The males aggressively hold territories, but small groups forage together in dry and moist savanna. After breeding, they flock with other seedeaters. This whydah gives dry chip calls and imitates the calls of the Green-winged Pytilia, which it parasitizes. The Broad-tailed Paradise-Whydah differs from the Eastern Paradise-Whydah as follows: the breeding male has a shorter broader tail; the non-breeding male and female have a paler bill and a plainer facial pattern.
Waterfall Swift
Hydrochous gigas
Largish dark swift with a stumpy body and a forked tail. As the name would suggest, associated with mountain waterfalls in forest areas; nests are placed close to the spray. Uniformly brown; larger and more long-winged than swiftlets. Sometimes forages in mixed flocks with other swifts, such as needletails.
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