Helm County Avifauna
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Japan, with its great range of climatic zones and habitats and consequently its exciting mix of species, is a fascinating country in which to birdwatch. The Japanese archipelago is on the migration route of many species breeding in Siberia and wintering in mainland southeast Asia, in Indonesia and even Australasia. It is the wintering grounnd for many northern birds, for thousands of cranes, hundreds of thousands of waterfowl, thrushes and buntings and the breeding ground for a wide variety of species of more southerly origin. The long isolation of the archipelago has been conducive to the evolution of numerous distinct sub-species and also a number of endemic species. The range is extraordinary from the northern pink-cheeked and grey-breasted bullfinch, to the southern local race of the Narcissus flycatcher in the Nansei Shoot; even some of the endemic species have distinct populations. Over the last two decades there has been a marked increase in the number of Japanese birdwatchers, as leisure pursuits have become fashionable and as the Japanese have become increasingly affluent. The science of ornithology has expanded too during the same period, resulting in a major advance in the study of Japanese birds. This book brings together information on the avifauna of Japan. It is not designed as a field guide but as a comprehensive overview of the status, range, habits of Japanese birds.