Some 500 species of birds are known to exist in Japan. Many of them, like the swallow and swan, are migratory birds. They come in flocks every year when a certain season arrives, pass the summer or winter in Japan, then fly away to other parts of the world when the season ends.

Migratory birds that come to Japan are commonly divided into summer and winter birds. Summer birds fly in from such areas as southern Asia and Australia to breed and can be found all across Japan during the spring and summer. The little tern spends the warm seasons by the beaches and tidelands, while the swallow makes nests in grasslands and bushes to raise fledglings. And when autumn comes, these summer birds set out again to the countries in the south.

Winter birds come from regions like Alaska and Siberia to escape the harsh cold and spend the autumn and winter in Japan. Some of the best-known winter birds in Japan are the whooper swan, which can be seen in Hokkaido and northeastern Honshu, and the white-naped crane and hooded crane, which come to western Honshu and Kyushu. Other winter birds you can see are ducks, such as the mallard, teal, and Eurasian wigeon, and wild geese, including the white-fronted goose and bean goose. With the coming of spring in Japan, they return to the north.