National Bird of Japan: Green pheasant — Why It Was Chosen & Facts

Why it represents the country

Japan's national bird was not chosen by a law. On 22 March 1947, at a regular meeting of the Ornithological Society of Japan, bird experts selected the green pheasant, called kiji in Japanese. The choice has been accepted ever since, and the pheasant is widely known as the national bird even though no government act names it.

Several reasons are usually given for the choice. The green pheasant lives in the wild almost only in Japan. It stays in the country all year and lives close to people, in fields, grassy slopes and village edges, so it is familiar to many Japanese families. The male is strikingly colorful, and the way a mother pheasant walks with her line of chicks was seen as a picture of family harmony.

The pheasant was already part of Japanese culture long before 1947. In the old folk tale of Momotaro, the Peach Boy, a pheasant joins a dog and a monkey as one of his three loyal companions. From 1984 a pair of green pheasants, a male and a female, appeared on the back of the 10,000 yen banknote.

About the animal

The male green pheasant is a handsome bird. Its breast, neck and flanks are a deep, glossy green, the head has a purple-blue sheen with small ear tufts, and a patch of bright red skin surrounds each eye. A long, pointed tail with pale bands makes up much of its length, and a large male can measure around 80 centimeters from bill to tail tip. The female is smaller and shorter-tailed, with mottled brown and black feathers that hide her well among dry grass.

Green pheasants spend most of their time on the ground. They walk and run through grass and crops, and they fly only in short, fast bursts when startled. Their food is mostly plant material, such as seeds, sprouts and leaves, along with insects, spiders and other small animals.

In spring each male claims a territory. He announces it with a loud, harsh crow, often followed by a quick drumming of his wings against his body. Females lay their eggs in a simple hollow on the ground, usually hidden in grass. A clutch holds roughly 6 to 12 eggs, and the female raises the chicks on her own. The chicks can walk and feed themselves soon after hatching and follow their mother through the undergrowth.

Scientists do not all agree on how to classify this bird. Some treat it as a separate species, Phasianus versicolor, while others see it as a form of the common pheasant, which lives across much of mainland Asia. The green pheasant's natural range covers Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu and some smaller nearby islands. It has also been introduced to Hawaii.

Conservation

The green pheasant is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It is still common and widespread in Japan, although its numbers are thought to be slowly decreasing. Because it depends on open grassland and the edges of farms, changes in the countryside, such as abandoned fields turning into forest or land being built on, can reduce the places where it can live and nest.

In Japan the pheasant is one of the species that may be hunted legally with a license. To support local populations, large numbers of captive-bred pheasants are released into the countryside each year. Many of these birds do not survive long, because they are easily caught by predators.

Pheasants living outside their natural range can also affect the green pheasant. In parts of Europe, green pheasants that were brought in were mixed with common pheasants, and the birds there are no longer pure green pheasants. Protecting the wild population inside Japan keeps this national bird distinct.

Where to see the green pheasant in the wild

Wild green pheasants in Japan live year-round on Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, mostly in grassland, farmland and open woodland from the lowlands to the hills.

Watch wild animals from a distance, never feed them, and follow the rules and rangers of each protected area.

Fun facts

An old Japanese belief says pheasants call out when an earthquake is coming, and a 13th-century text records that the bird cries during earthquakes and thunder.
A male green pheasant shows off by beating his wings loudly against his body right after he calls.
The pheasant is one of the three animal helpers, together with a dog and a monkey, in the Japanese folk tale of Momotaro.

Frequently asked questions

What is the national bird of Japan?

The national bird of Japan is the green pheasant (a widely recognized national symbol, not set by law). It is a colorful pheasant found in the wild almost only in Japan, and from 1984 a pair of them, a male and a female, appeared on the back of the 10,000 yen banknote.

Which country has the green pheasant as its national bird?

The green pheasant is the national bird of Japan. The green pheasant is also known as Japanese green pheasant or kiji.

Why is the green pheasant the national bird of Japan?

On 22 March 1947, at a regular meeting of the Ornithological Society of Japan, bird experts selected the green pheasant, called kiji in Japanese, and the choice has been accepted ever since. The reasons usually given are that it lives in the wild almost only in Japan, stays all year close to people in fields and village edges, has a strikingly colorful male, and that a mother walking with her line of chicks was seen as a picture of family harmony.

Is the green pheasant endangered?

The green pheasant is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and is still common and widespread in Japan. Its numbers are thought to be slowly decreasing, as abandoned fields turning into forest and land being built on reduce the places where it can live and nest.

Where does the green pheasant live?

Grassland, farmland edges, riverbanks and open woods on Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu.

Where can you see the green pheasant in the wild?