Oui Bird Park

Some bird observations by Fer-Jan de Vries.

This is a small bird sanctuary (27 hectares) of the Wild Bird Society of Japan in the highly developed harbour area between central Tokyo and Haneda airport. It consists actually of two small parks, separated by a road. The entrance is in the west park. This park contains two small freshwater ponds closely surrounded by small trees and shrubs. Via a footbridge over the road one reaches the eastern park: a small open complex of freshwater ponds and mud flats and a larger tidal basin. In the middle there is a nicely designed building for bird observation with lots of telescopes, a tiny library and friendly japanese guides.
In March 97 reconstruction of the eastern park has begun.

The Wild Bird Society of Japan gives further information on the park. Their page contains a list of late spring observations.
How to get there:
  • Bus: from Shinagawa station on the Yamanote line: take bus 98 which stops at the north-east exit (from the platforms this is an unexpected long subway...) price is 200 Yen, and the bus stops next to the bird park. Several buses per hour.
  • Monorail: from Hama-matsu-cho station on the Yamanote line. Take monorail until Ryutsu-center. If you leave the station go the right = east. Then in one straight walk:(1) underneath the monorail track. (2) Go over the bridge. (3) Underneath the highway. (4) Cross at the traffic lights and keep going straight along the park ubtil you see the entrance on the right.Map
  • Park: entrance fee of the park 300Yen. The system is funny: you buy the ticket from a machine on the left of the entrance, only to deposit it in some plastic box on the right of the entrance. The park consists of two halves: the main entrance is in the west part and the eastside with the tidal pool you have to reach via a footbridge.


  • A visit December 17, 1995 (Bright dry winter weather) Together with Hosoya-san.
    B visit Januari 21, 1996 (First snowday of season in Tokyo) Together with Shuichi Haupt.
    C visit May 18, 1996. (Cold spring day, hasty visit to the eastern pond late in the afternoon.) Together with Shuichi Haupt and Ted Sjodin.
    D visit June 16, 1996. (Hot and humid, but dry day after de start of rainy season...)
    E visit August 22, 1996. (A warm day, towards the end of summer. Hightide. at about 15.00)
    F visit November 4, 1996. (A mild autumn day, at first sunny, then overcast. Lowtide. 15.00-1700) Together with ranger Hiroyuki Suzuki of the WBSJ. Majority of ducks consisted of Pochards (1000), Tufted duck and pintail each about 100.
    G visit November 23, 1996. (A fresh autumn day, at first sunny, then overcast. Lowtide in the morning) Together with Hosoya-san and other members of the Ecoclub. Ranger Hiroyuki Suzuki of the WBSJ. Majority of ducks still consisted of Pochards (700).
    H visit March 19, 1997. (A fresh springday, overcast, windy. Droppiong hightide.) Many Mew gulls, majority of ducks still consisted of Pochards.Hardly any herons, due to the reconstruction works, perhaps.

    1. Little grebe Podiceps ruficollis Kaitsuburi : A, B, C, D, F,G, H
    2. Great Cormorant Phalacrococax carbo Kawa-u : A, B, C, D, E, F, G, h
    3. Mallard Anas Platyrhynchos Ma-gamo : A, D, F, G
    4. Spot-billed duck Anas poecilorhyncha Karu-gamo : A, B, C, D, F, (ducklings), E, G, H
    5. Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Hashibiro-gamo : A, B, F, G, H
    6. Green-winged Teal Anas crecca Ko-gamo : A, B, F, G, H
    7. Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata Oshi-dori : F 1 male. First sighting of season according to Suzuki-san.
    8. Falcated Teal Anas falcata Yoshi-gamo : G, one male, in the presence of some Greater Scaups.
    9. Gadwall Anas strepera Okayoshi-gamo : A, F, G, H
    10. Northern Pintail Anas acuta Onaga-gamo : A, B, F, G, H (3 ex)
    11. Wigeon Anas penelope Hidori-gamo : A, B, F, G (from eclips to normal plumage moult), H
    12. Pochard Aythya ferina Hoshi-hajiro : A, B, C, F, G, H
    13. Tufted duck Aythya fuligula Kinkuro-hajiro : A, B, C, F, G, H
    14. Greater scaup Aythya marila Suzu-gamo : C female G (20 ex)
    15. Smew Mergus albellus Miko-aisa : B Female G 1 ex, eclipse
    16. Slaty-backed gull Larus schitisagus Ou-seguro-kamome : A, H
    17. Herring gull Larus argentatus Seguro-kamome : A, B, F, G, H
    18. Black-tailed gull Larus crassirostris Umineko : A, B, D, E, G, H
    19. Mew gull Larus canus Kamome : A, B, H
    20. Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus Yuri-kamome : A, B, F, G (several hunderds, on garbage dumps out of sight, but swarming with passing birds of prey...), H (10 ex)
    21. Little tern Sterna albifrons Ko-ajisashi : C, D
    22. Black-Crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Goi-sagi : A, B, D, E, G, H
    23. Chinese Little Bittern Ixobrychus sinensis Yoshi-goi : D
    24. Little egret Egretta garzetta Ko-sagi : A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H
    25. Great egret Egretta alba Dai-sagi : C, D, E, F, G, H
    26. Gray heron Ardea cinerea Ao-sagi : A, B, C, D, E, F, G
    27. Coot Fulica atra Ou-ban : A, B, C, D(with young) E, F, G, H
    28. Common Gallinule Gallinula chloropus Ban : A, B, C, F, G, H
    29. Little ringed plover Charadrius dubius Kochidori : C 2 ex., D, E 2 ex., H 2 ex.
    30. Mongolian plover Charadrius mongolus Meddai-chidori : C 2 ex, E 10 ex
    31. Lesser golden plover Pluvialis dominica Munaguro : E 12 ex
    32. Common Sandpiper Tringa hypoleucos Isoshigi : A, B, C, D, E, F, G
    33. Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus Sorihashishigi : E 8 ex.
    34. Ruddy turnstone Arenaria interpres Kyoujo-shigi : C 15 ex, E 10 ex
    35. Greenshank Tringa nebulara Aoashi-shigi : C 12 ex.
    36. Gray-tailed tatler Tringa brevipes Kiashi-shigi : C 20 ex., E 6 ex. roosting on posts in the water
    37. Black-tailed godwit Limosa limosa Oguro-shigi : E 15 ex. (Winterplumage)
    38. Bar-tailed godwit Limosa lapponica Ou-sori hashi-shigi : E 1 ex. (Short legs, uplifted bill, summerplumage)
    39. Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Chuushaku-shigi : C 1 ex.
    40. Common snipe Gallinago gallinago Ta-shigi : A, C, F, G (3 ex), H (3 ex)
    41. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Seitaka-shigi : A, E 8 ex, F 15 ex G 15 ex
    42. Black Kite Milvus migrans Tobi : A, G (6 ex), H
    43. Common Buzzard Buteo buteo Nosuri : F 4 ex. soaring high in the sky, migrating to SW.
    44. European Sparrowhawk (?) Accipiter gularis Tsumi : G 1 ex, far in the distance, total wingspan only a little beyond the length of one wing of Black Kite. Soaring most of the time.
    45. Japanese wood pigeon !? Columba janthina Karasu-bato : C Completely dark pigeon with red legs, 1 ex. Just seen in a flash: flying overhead and disappearing in hedgerow. No, too optimistic, in hindsight it must have been a dark domestic pigeon!! D
    46. Rufous turtle dove Streptopelia orientalis Kiji-bato : A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H
    47. House swift Apus affinis Hime-amatsubame : D
    48. Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Kawasemi : A, B, F, (juvenile), G, H
    49. House martin Delicho urbica Iwa-tsubame : C, D Underparts not pure white...
    50. Barn swallow Hirundo rustica Tsubame : D
    51. White wagtail Haku-sekirei Motacilla alba : A, B, C, E, G, H
    52. Japanese wagtail Seguro-sekirei Motacilla grandis : A, B, D, F, G, H
    53. Skylark Alauda arvensis Hibari : D
    54. Brown-eared bulbul Hypsipetes amaurotis Hiyodori : A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H
    55. Bull-headed shrike Lanius bucephalus Mozu : F, G, H
    56. Daurian redstart Phoenicurus auroreus Joobitaki : A, G
    57. Dusky thrush Turdus naumanni Tsugumi : A, B, F, G, H
    58. Bush warbler Cettia diphone Uguisu : B, G, H
    59. Fan tailed warbler Cisticola jundicis Sekka : B
    60. Great reed warbler Acrosephalus arundinaceus Ou-yoshikiri : C, D
    61. Great tit Parus major Shijuu-kara : A, B, D, F, G, H
    62. Japanese white-eye Zosterops japonica Mejiro : B, G
    63. Siberian meadow bunting Emberiza cioides Hoojiro : A, D, F, G
    64. Rustic bunting Emberiza rustica Kashira-daka : A, H
    65. Black faced bunting Emberiza spodocephala Aoji : B, G
    66. Gray bunting Emberiza variabilis Kuroji : B female
    67. Oriental greenfinch Kawarahiwa Carduelis sinica : A, B, E, G
    68. Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes Shime : G, one male.
    69. Tree sparrow Passer montanus Szume : A, B, D, E, G, h
    70. Gray starling Sturnus cineraceus Mukudori: A, C, D, E, F, G, H
    71. Azure winged magpie Cyanopica cyana Onaga : A, D, E, G
    72. Carrion crow Corvus corone Hashiboso-garasu : A, B, C, D, G, H
    73. Jungle crow Hashibuto-garasu Corvus macrorhynchos : A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H

    Here is a list of birds that R.M. Ness has observed on January 5, 1997 at Oi bird park. Note the Marsh harrier!
  • tufted duck
  • great cormerant
  • pochard
  • northern shoveler
  • gadwell
  • black winged stilt
  • european coot
  • common gallinule
  • common sandpiper
  • common snipe
  • dusky thrush
  • little egret
  • great egret
  • wigeon
  • little grebe
  • marsh harrier
  • eared grebe

  • Back to previous page Last modified: November 7, 1997. Fer-Jan de Vries, ferjan@etl.go.jp