Birds Of Japan 62:Japanese Buzzard 日本の野鳥62:ノスリ

Japanese Buzzard ノスリ Scientific name: Buteo japonicus The Japanese Buzzard is a medium-sized bird of prey commonly seen over Japan’s open countrysi

Japanese Buzzard ノスリ Scientific name: Buteo japonicus

The Japanese Buzzard is a medium-sized bird of prey commonly seen over Japan’s open countryside and forested landscapes. In Japanese it is called ノスリ / Nosuri. It has broad rounded wings, a relatively short tail, and a sturdy body typical of a buzzard.

Its plumage varies from pale to dark, but most birds show brown upperparts, pale underparts with darker streaking, and a broad dark band near the end of the tail. When soaring, the Japanese Buzzard often circles high above the landscape with its broad wings held slightly raised.

In Japan, it lives in a wide variety of habitats, including farmland, grassland, forest edges, satoyama, open woodland, river valleys, and mountain foothills. It usually hunts over open ground but often uses nearby trees, poles, and forest edges as lookout points.

Habitat: Farmland, grassland, satoyama, forest edges, open woodland, river valleys, mountain foothills
Range in Japan: Widespread across Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu in suitable habitats
Diet: Small mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs, insects, and other small animals
Season: Year-round resident in many areas; northern populations may move south during winter
Size: About 50–60 cm
Nesting: Large stick nest built in tall trees, often near open hunting areas
Behavior: Soars high on broad wings; hunts from perches or while flying over open ground
Conservation: Widespread and relatively adaptable, but healthy open countryside and woodland mosaics are important

The Japanese Buzzard is a broad-winged bird of prey that can often be seen soaring above Japan’s countryside. The ノスリ lives in a rich mixture of farmland, grassland, satoyama, river valleys, and forest edges, where open areas provide hunting grounds and nearby trees offer nesting and lookout sites. It feeds on a wide variety of small animals and is an important predator in Japan’s natural landscapes. With its broad wings and graceful soaring flight, the Japanese Buzzard is one of the most familiar raptors of the Japanese countryside.

Japanese Buzzard ノスリ

The Japanese Buzzard is a medium-sized bird of prey commonly found across Japan. It is often seen soaring high above open countryside or perched quietly on a tree, pole, or other high vantage point. Its broad wings, relatively short tail, and variable brown-and-white plumage give it the typical appearance of a powerful but graceful buzzard.

Japanese Buzzards hunt mainly small mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs, and large insects. They often watch the ground patiently from a perch before swooping down on their prey. In open farmland, grasslands, forest edges, and mountain foothills, their soaring flight and distinctive calls make them one of Japan's most familiar birds of prey.

IUCN Status

Least Concern

Habitat

Farmland, Grasslands, Forest Edges, Open Country, Mountain Foothills

Region

Japan and Parts of East Asia

Behavior

Soaring, Perch Hunting, Watching for Prey, Powerful Diving Attacks

Population

Widespread and Generally Common

ノスリ Japanese Buzzard

ノスリは、日本全国でごく普通に見られる中型の猛禽類（タカの仲間）です。開けた里山や農地の上空をゆっくりと帆翔（はんしょう）していたり、木や電柱などの高い場所で静かに獲物を待ち伏せしている姿がよく観察されます。幅の広い翼、比較的短い尾羽、そして個体ごとの濃淡がある茶と白の斑模様が、力強くも優雅な姿を作り出しています。

主にネズミなどの小型哺乳類、小鳥、爬虫類、カエル、大型の昆虫などを捕食します。高い止まり木から地上をじっと監視し、獲物を見つけると一気に急降下して捕らえます。農地、草地、林縁、山麓など身近な環境に生息し、上空を舞う姿や特徴的な鳴き声から、日本で最も親しまれている猛禽類の一種です。