Here is a seasonal bird list of the times birds can be seen in the area I live. This is mainly based on my Lifelist , but for the greater benefit (in time); I will be adding sightings for all of Hokkaido as well. Sources are from eBird, and the Japanese and English field guides that I have. These aren’t definitive, but will give you a general idea of what can be found. The timelines show the weeks within a month as well. Ignore the black line marker, as that is only the indicator of the time I viewed the timeline. Eventually the map below will be just of all the Hokkaido areas, with the ones seen in my Hokkaido Lifelist area outlined in a different border color. As in my Lifelist, green=non-threatened, yellow=threatened, and red=endangered. Clicking on a location link will take you to the 1st sighting on my eBird checklist for that bird.
If you want to see what Hokkaido birds I have seen in what month, that is in the chart here.
Jeff 🙂

My Working Range Map of Western Hokkaido
(in Japanese for the area of Hokkaido where I am there is no “west”. so that area is known as the Central Seaside)
I mainly operate out of the Central Seaside, so I chose to subtitle my label as “The Otaru-Yoichi-Sapporo Greater Area”, as a clearer indication.
I do make trips into other regions of Hokkaido as time and money permits.


Bulbul,Â
Brown-eared
Hypsipetes amaurotis Â
hensoniÂ

Seen: Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan

Bullfinch,Â
Eurasian Â
Pyrrhula pyrrhulaÂ
griseiventris

Seen: Maruyama Park, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan

Bunting,Â
Black-faced Â
Emberiza spodocephalaÂ
personata

Seen: Yoichi River, Yoichi, Hokkaido, Japan

Bunting,
Meadow, (Eurasian)Â Â
Emberiza cioidesÂ
ciopsis

Seen: Yoichi River, Yoichi, Hokkaido, Japan

Buzzard,Â
 Common, (Eastern) Â
Buteo japonicusÂ
japonicus

Seen:

Buzzard,Â
Oriental Honey, (Northern)Â Â
Pernis ptilorhynchusÂ
orientalis

Seen:

Coot, Eurasian
Fulica atraÂ
atra

Seen:

Cormorant,Â
Great
Phalacrocorax carboÂ
sinensis

Seen:

Cormorant,Â
Japanese aka (Temminck’s)
Phalacrocorax capillatus

Seen:

Cormorant,Â
Pelagic
Phalacrocorax pelagicusÂ
pelagicus

Seen:

Crane,Â
Red-crowned
Grus japonensis

Seen:
Seen:

Crow,Â
Carrion, (Eastern)
Corvus corone
orientalis

Seen:

Crow,Â
Large-billed
aka (Jungle)
Corvus macrorhynchosÂ
japonensis

Seen:

Cuckoo,Â
Eurasian, (Sakhalin)
Cuculus canorusÂ
telephonus

Seen:

Curlew,Â
Far-eastern
Numenius madagascariensis

Seen:

Dove,Â
Oriental Turtle
Stephtopelis orientalisÂ
orientalis

Seen:

Dove,Â
Rock aka (Pigeon)
Columba liviaÂ
livia

Seen:

Duck,Â
Eastern Spot-billed
Anas zonorhyncha

Seen:

Duck,Â
Falcated
Mareca falcata

Seen:

Duck,Â
Gadwall
Anas strepera strepera

Seen:

Duck,
Goldeneye, (Common)
Bucephala clangulaÂ
clangula

Seen:

Duck,Â
Harlequin, (Pacific)Â
Histrionicus histrionicusÂ
pacificus

Seen:

Duck,Â
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchosÂ
platyrhynchos

Seen:

Duck,Â
Mandarin
Aix galericulata

Seen:

Duck,Â
Merganser, (Eurasian)
Mergus merganserÂ
merganser

Seen:

Duck,Â
Merganser, (Red-breasted)
Mergus serrator

Seen:

Duck,Â
Pintail, (Northern)
Anas acuta

Seen:

Duck,Â
Pochard, (Common)
Aythya ferina

Seen:

Duck,Â
Scaup, (Greater)
Aythya marila mariloides

Seen:

Duck, Scoter, (Black)
Melanitta americana

Seen:

Duck,Â
Shoveler, (Northern)
Spatula clypeata

Seen:

Duck,Â
Smew
Mergellus albellus

Seen:

Duck,Â
Teal, (Eurasian)
Anas creccaÂ
crecca

Seen:

Duck,Â
Tufted
Aythya fuligula

Seen:

Duck,Â
Wigeon, (Eurasian)
Mareca penelope

Seen:

Dunlin
Calidris alpinaÂ
sakhalina

Seen:

Eagle,Â
Steller’s Sea
Haliaeetus pelagicusÂ
pelagicus

Seen:

Eagle,Â
White-tailed Sea
Haliaeetus albicillaÂ
albicilla

Seen:

Egret,Â
Great
Ardea alba
alba

Seen:

Falcon,Â
Peregrine, (Japanese)
Falco peregrinusÂ
japonensis

Seen:

Flycatcher,Â
Blue-and-White
Cyanoptila cyanomelana

Seen:

Flycatcher,Â
Mugimaki
Ficedula mugimaki

Seen:

Flycatcher,Â
Narcissus
Ficedula narcissinaÂ
narcissina

Seen:

Godwit,Â
Bar-tailed, (Eastern)Â
Limosa lapponicaÂ
baueri

Seen:

Godwit,Â
Black-tailed, (Siberian)
Limosa limosaÂ
melanuroides

Seen:

Goldcrest, Eurasian
Regulus regulusÂ
japonensis

Seen:

Goose, Bean, (Tundra)
Anser serrirostris

Seen:

Goose, Brent, (Pacific)
aka (Black Brant)Â
Branta berniclaÂ
nigricans

Seen:

Goose, Canada, (Lesser)Â
Branta canadensisÂ
parvipes
(Rare Sighting)

Seen:

Goose, White-fronted, (Greater)
Anser albifronsÂ
albifrons

Seen:
Est. Life Expectancy: 34 years Generational Age: 11.3 years

Goshawk, Northern
Accipiter gentilisÂ
fujiyamae

Seen:

Grebe, Black-necked
Podiceps nigricollisÂ
nigricollis

Seen:

Grebe, Great-crested
Podiceps cristatusÂ
cristatus

Seen:

Grebe, Little
Tachybaptus ruficollisÂ
poggei

Seen:

Grebe, Red-necked
Podiceps grisegenaÂ
holboellii

Seen:

Greenfinch, Oriental
Chloris sinicaÂ
kawarahiba

Seen:

Greenshank, Common
Tringa nebularia

Seen:

Gull, Black-tailed Â
Larus crassirostris

Seen:

Gull, Glaucous
Larus hyperboreusÂ
pallidissimys

Seen:

Gull, Glaucous-winged
Larus glaucescens

Seen:

Gull, Slaty-backed
Larus schistisagus

Seen:

Hawfinch, Japanese
Caccothraustes caccothraustesÂ
japonicus

Seen:

Heron, Grey
Ardea cinereaÂ
jouyi

Seen:

Hobby, Eurasian, (Northern)
Falco subbuteoÂ
subbuteo

Seen:

House Martin, Asian
Delichon dasypusÂ
dasypus

Seen:

Jay, Eurasian
Garrulus glandariusÂ
brandtii

Seen:

Kingfisher, Crested
Megaceryle lugubris
pallida Â

Seen:

Kingfisher, Common, (Eurasian)
Alcedo atthisÂ
bengalensis Â

Seen:

Kite, Black-eared
Milvus migransÂ
lineatus Â

Seen:

Moorhen, Common, (Eurasian)
Gallinula chloropusÂ
indica

Seen:

Murre, Thick-billed
Uria lomviaÂ
arra

Seen:

Nuthatch, Eurasian
Sitta europaeaÂ
asiatica & clara

Seen:

Osprey
Pandion haliaetusÂ
haliaetus

Seen:

Pigeon, Japanese Green
aka (White-bellied)
Treron sieboldiiÂ
sieboldii

Seen:

Plover, Golden, (Pacific)
Pluvialis fulva

Seen:

Plover, Mongolian
Charadrius mongolus
stegmanni

Seen:

Sandpiper, Common
Actitis hypoleucos

Seen:

Shrike, Bull-headed
Lanius bucephalusÂ
bucephalus

Seen:

Siskin, Eurasian
Spinus spinus

Seen:

Skylark, Eurasian
Alauda arvensisÂ
japonica

Seen:

Sparrow, Eurasian Tree
Passer montanusÂ
saturatus

Seen:

Sparrow, Russet aka (Cinnamon)
Passer cinnamomeusÂ
rutilans

Seen:

Sparrowhawk, Eurasian
Accipiter nisusÂ
nisosimilis

Seen:

Starling, Chestnut-cheeked
Agropsar philippensis

Seen:

Starling, White-cheeked
Sturnus cineraceus

Seen:

Stint, Red-necked
Calidris ruficollis

Seen:

Stonechat, Siberian
Saxicola maurusÂ
stejnegeri

Seen:

Swallow, Barn
Hirundo rusticaÂ
gutteralis

Seen:

Swan, Mute
Cygnus olor

Seen:

Swan, Tundra
Cygnus columbianusÂ
bewickii

Seen:

Swan, Whooper
Cygnus cygnus

Seen:

Swift, Pacific
Apus pacificusÂ
pacificus

Seen:

Thrush, Dusky
Turdus eunomus

Seen:

Thrush, Eyebrowed
Turdus obscurus

Seen:

Tit, Coal, (Eurasian)Â
Periparus aterÂ
insularis

Seen:

Tit, Japanese
Parus minorÂ
minor

Seen:

Tit, Long-tailed
Aegithalos caudatusÂ
caudatus

Seen:

Tit, Marsh, (Eurasian)Â
Poecile palustrisÂ
hensoni

Seen:

Tit, Varied
Sittiparus variusÂ
varius

Seen:

Tit, Willow
Poecile montanusÂ
restrictus

Seen:

Treecreeper, Eurasian
Certhia familiarisÂ
daurica

Seen:

Wagtail, Japanese
Motacilla grandis

Seen:

Wagtail, White
Motacilla albaÂ
lugens

Seen:

Warbler, Oriental Reed
Acrocephalus orientalis

Seen:

Warbler, Japanese Bush
Horornis diphoneÂ
viridis

Seen:

Waxwing, Bohemian
Bombycilla garrulus

Seen:

Waxwing, Japanese
Bombycilla japonica

Seen:

Whimbrel, Eurasian
Numenius phaeopusÂ
variegatus

Seen:

White-eye, Japanese
aka (Warbling)
Zosterops japonicusÂ
yesoensis

Seen:

Woodpecker, Great-spotted
Dendrocopos majorÂ
japonicus

Seen:

Woodpecker, Grey-headed
Picus canusÂ
jessoensis

Seen:

Woodpecker, Pygmy, (Japanese)
Yungipicus kizukiÂ
seebohmi

Seen:

Woodpecker, White-backed
Dendrocopos leucotosÂ
subcirris

Seen:
Hokkaido Birds I have seen by Month & Season
SEASON | W | W | W | SP | SP | SU | SU | SU | F | F | W | W |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MONTH | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
Bluetail, Red-flanked | * | |||||||||||
Brambling | * | * | * | |||||||||
Bulbul, Brown-eared | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * |
Bullfinch, Eurasian | * | * | * | |||||||||
Bunting, Black-faced | * | * | * | * | * | |||||||
Bunting, Chestnut-eared | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||||
Bunting, Japanese Meadow | * | * | * | |||||||||
Bunting, Reed | * | |||||||||||
Buzzard, Eastern (Common) | * | * | * | |||||||||
Buzzard, Northern Oriental Honey | * | * | * | * | ||||||||
Coot, Eurasian | * | * | * | * | ||||||||
Cormorant, Great | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | |
Cormorant, Japanese (Temminck’s) | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * |
Cormorant, Pelagic | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
MONTH | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
Crane, Red-crowned | * | |||||||||||
Crossbill, Japanese Red | * | |||||||||||
Crow, Eastern Carrion | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * |
Crow, Large-billed | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * |
Cuckoo, Eurasian (Sakhalin) | * | * | * | |||||||||
Cuckoo, Oriental | * | |||||||||||
Curlew, Far-eastern | * | |||||||||||
Dove, Oriental Turtle | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
Dove, Rock (Pigeon) | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | |||
Duck, Common Goldeneye | * | * | * | * | * | |||||||
Duck, Common Pochard | * | * | * | * | ||||||||
Duck, Eastern Spot-billed | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | |||||
Duck, Eurasian Merganser | * | * | * | * | ||||||||
MONTH | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
Duck, Black Scoter | * | |||||||||||
Duck, Eurasian Teal | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||||
Duck, Eurasian Wigeon | * | * | * | * | ||||||||
Duck, Falcated | * | * | * | |||||||||
Duck, Gadwall | * | |||||||||||
Duck, Greater Scaup | * | |||||||||||
Duck, Mallard | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||
Duck, Mandarin | * | * | * | * | ||||||||
Duck, Northern Pintail | * | * | * | * | ||||||||
Duck, Northern Shoveler | * | * | ||||||||||
Duck, Pacific Harlequin | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | |||||
Duck, Red-breasted Merganser | * | * | * | * | * | |||||||
Duck, Smew | * | * | ||||||||||
Duck, Tufted | * | * | * | |||||||||
Dunlin | * | |||||||||||
MONTH | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
Eagle, Steller’s Sea | * | * | * | |||||||||
Eagle, White-tailed Sea | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||||
Egret, Great (White) | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | |||||
Falcon, Japanese Peregrine | * | |||||||||||
Flycatcher, Blue-and-White | * | * | ||||||||||
Flycatcher, Mugimaki | * | |||||||||||
Flycatcher, Narcissus | * | * | * | * | ||||||||
Godwit, Eastern Bar-tailed | * | |||||||||||
Godwit, Siberian Black-tailed | * | |||||||||||
Goldcrest, Eurasian | * | |||||||||||
Goose, Black Brant | * | |||||||||||
Goose, Greater White-fronted | * | * | ||||||||||
Goose, Lesser Canadian | * | |||||||||||
Goose, Tundra Bean | * | |||||||||||
MONTH | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
Goshawk, Northern | * | |||||||||||
Grebe, Black-necked | * | |||||||||||
Grebe, Great-crested | * | * | * | * | ||||||||
Grebe, Little | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | |||||
Grebe, Red-necked | * | |||||||||||
Greenfinch, Oriental | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | |||
Greenshank, Common | * | |||||||||||
Gull, Black-headed | * | |||||||||||
Gull, Black-tailed | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||
Gull, Glaucous | * | * | * | |||||||||
Gull, Glaucous-winged | * | * | * | * | ||||||||
Gull, Slaty-backed | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * |
MONTH | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
Hawfinch, Japanese | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
Heron, Grey | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
Hobby, Northern Eurasian | * | * | ||||||||||
House Martin, Asian | * | * | * | * | ||||||||
Jay, Eurasian | * | * | ||||||||||
Kingfisher, Crested | * | |||||||||||
Kingfisher, Eurasian (Common) | * | * | ||||||||||
Kite, Black-eared | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | |
Moorhen, Eurasian | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | |||||
Murre, Thick-billed | * | |||||||||||
Nuthatch, Eurasian | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
Osprey | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | |||||
MONTH | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
Pigeon, Japanese Green | * | * | * | * | * | |||||||
Plover, Mongolian | * | |||||||||||
Plover, Pacific Golden | * | |||||||||||
Sandpiper, Common | * | * | ||||||||||
Shrike, Bull-headed | * | * | * | * | * | |||||||
Siskin, Eurasian | * | * | * | * | ||||||||
Skylark, Eurasian | * | * | * | * | ||||||||
Sparrow, Eurasian Tree | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | |
Sparrow, Russet (Cinnamon) | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||||
Sparrowhawk, Eurasian | * | * | ||||||||||
Starling, Chestnut-cheeked | * | * | * | |||||||||
Starling, White-cheeked | * | * | ||||||||||
MONTH | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
Stint, Red-necked | * | * | ||||||||||
Stonechat, Siberian | * | * | * | * | * | |||||||
Swallow, Barn | * | * | * | * | * | |||||||
Swan, Mute | * | |||||||||||
Swan, Tundra | * | * | ||||||||||
Swan, Whooper | * | * | ||||||||||
Swift, Pacific | * | * | * | |||||||||
Thrush, Brown-headed | * | |||||||||||
Thrush, Dusky | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||||
Thrush, Eyebrowed | * | |||||||||||
Thrush, Japanese | * | * | ||||||||||
Thrush, Siberian | * | |||||||||||
Tit, Eurasian Coal | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||
Tit, Japanese | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | |
Tit, Long-tailed | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||||
Tit, Eurasian Marsh | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||
Tit, Varied | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||
Tit, Willow | * | * | ||||||||||
MONTH | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
Treecreeper, Eurasian | * | * | ||||||||||
Wagtail, Japanese | * | |||||||||||
Wagtail, White | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | |||||
Warbler, Oriental Reed | * | * | * | * | ||||||||
Warbler, Japanese Bush | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||||||
Waxwing, Bohemian | * | |||||||||||
Waxwing, Japanese | * | * | ||||||||||
Whimbrel, Eurasian | * | |||||||||||
White-eye, Japanese | * | * | * | |||||||||
Woodpecker, Black | * | * | ||||||||||
Woodpecker, Great-spotted | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | |
Woodpecker, Grey-headed | * | |||||||||||
Woodpecker, Japanese Pygmy | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | ||
Woodpecker, White-backed | * | * |
