This is a list of all birds recorded in the wild in the Korean Peninsula and its islands.
Loons
Order: GaviiformesFamily: Gaviidae
The loons migrate to Korea during the winter months. They are carnivores and some species can dive more than 200 feet below the surface of the water to search for food.
Red-throated loon, Gavia stellata Black-throated loon, Gavia arctica Pacific loon, Gavia pacifica Yellow-billed loon, Gavia adamsii
Grebes
Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-large in size, have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land. They leave the water only to nest, walking very short distances upright like penguins. They can run for a short distance, but often fall over.
Little grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena Great crested grebe, Podiceps cristatus Horned grebe, Podiceps auritus Black-necked grebe, Podiceps nigricollis
Albatrosses
Order: ProcellariidaeFamily: Diomedeidae Once common, it was brought to the edge of extinction by the trade in feathers, but with protection has recently made a recovery. Their main diet consists of squid, however they are known to follow fishing vessels for the left over morsels.
Short-tailed albatross, Phoebastria albatrus
Petrels and shearwaters
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Procellariidae
The family Procellariidae is the main radiation of medium-sized "true petrels", characterised by united nostrils with medium septum and a long outer functional primary. It is dominant in the Southern Oceans, but not so in the Northern Hemisphere.
Streaked shearwater, Calonectris leucomelas Flesh-footed shearwater, Puffinus carneipes Short-tailed shearwater, Puffinus tenuirostris Bonin petrel, Pterodroma hypoleuca
Storm petrels
Order: ProcellariidaeFamily: Hydrobatidae
It breeds on islands in the northwest Pacific off China, Japan and Korea. It nests in colonies close to the sea in rock crevices and lays a single white egg. It spends the rest of the year at sea, ranging into the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea. It is essentially dark brown in all plumages, and has a fluttering flight, pattering on the water surface as it picks planktonic food items from the ocean surface.
Swinhoe's storm-petrel, Oceanodroma monorhis
Boobies
Order: SuliformesFamily: Sulidae
This group comprises medium to large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish.
Brown booby, Sula leucogaster Masked booby, Sula dactylatra
Cormorants
Order: SuliformesFamily: Phalacrocoracidae
Phalacrocoracidae is a family of medium to large coastal, fish-eating seabirds that includes cormorants and shags. Plumage colouration varies, with the majority having mainly dark plumage, some species being black-and-white and a few being colourful. There are 38 species worldwide and 4 species which occur in Korea.
Great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo Japanese cormorant, Phalacrocorax capillatus Pelagic cormorant, Urile pelagicus Red-faced cormorant, Urile urile
Frigatebirds
Order: SuliformesFamily: Fregatidae
Frigate birds are built for flying; they rarely swim and cannot walk but can manage to climb around the trees and bushes in which they nest. They have a very light skeleton and long narrow wings and are masters of the air.
Lesser frigatebird, Fregata ariel
Pelicans
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Pelecanidae
These large birds use their elastic pouches to catch fish—though different species use it in different ways. Many pelicans fish by swimming in cooperative groups. They may form a line or a "U" shape and drive fish into shallow water by beating their wings on the surface.
Spot-billed pelicanNot included in Lee et al. (2000), but listed as a vagrant in South Korea by the IUCN. Pelecanus philippensis Dalmatian pelican, Pelecanus crispus
Herons
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Ardeidae
Large wading birds found in most temperate regions but most numerous in tropical and subtropical areas. Most herons roost and nest in large colonies called heronries; others are gregarious only at breeding time; and some are entirely solitary.
Eastern great egret, Ardea modesta Grey heron, Ardea cinerea Purple heron, Ardea purpurea Little egret, Egretta garzetta Chinese egret, Egretta eulophotes Pacific reef egret, Egretta sacra Intermediate egret, Mesophoyx intermedia Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis Chinese pond heron, Ardeola bacchus Striated heron, Butorides striata Black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax Japanese night heron, Gorsachius goisagi Yellow bittern, Ixobrychus sinensis Schrenck's bittern, Ixobrychus eurhythmus Cinnamon bittern, Ixobrychus cinnamomeus Black bittern, Ixobrychus flavicollis Great bittern, Botaurus stellaris
Ibises and spoonbills
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Threskiornithidae
Ibises and spoonbills occur primarily in freshwater and estuarine habitats, including swamps, marshes, coastal mangroves, rice fields, rivers and ponds. Ibises and spoonbills are widely distributed in the warmer regions of the world and are especially abundant in the tropics of Africa, Asia and South America.
Black-headed ibis, Threskiornis melanocephalus Crested ibis, Nipponia nippon Eurasian spoonbill, Platalea leucorodia Black-faced spoonbill, Platalea minor
Storks
Order: CiconiiformesFamily: Ciconiidae
The storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long stout bills. They occur in most of the warmer regions of the world. They tend to live in drier habitats than their relatives the herons, spoonbills and ibises, and lack the powder down that those groups use to clean off fish slime. Many species are migratory. Storks eat frogs, fish and small birds or mammals
Black stork, Ciconia nigra Oriental stork, Ciconia boyciana
Ducks, geese and swans Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils.
Mute swan, Cygnus olor Whooper swan, Cygnus cygnus Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus Swan goose, Anser cygnoides Taiga bean-goose, Anser fabalis Tundra bean-goose, Anser serrirostris Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons Lesser white-fronted goose, Anser erythropus Greylag goose, Anser anser Snow goose, Chen caerulescens Emperor goose, Chen canagica Canada goose, Branta canadensis Brent goose, Branta bernicla Ruddy shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea Crested shelduck, Tadorna cristata Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna Mandarin duck, Aix galericulata Gadwall, Anas strepera Falcated duck, Anas falcata Eurasian wigeon, Anas penelope American wigeon, Anas americana American black duck, Anas rubripes Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos Indian spot-billed duck, Anas poecilorhyncha Eastern spot-billed duck, Anas zonorhyncha Northern shoveler, Anas clypeata Northern pintail, Anas acuta Garganey, Anas querquedula Baikal teal, Anas formosa Common teal, Anas crecca Common pochard, Aythya ferina Canvasback, Aythya valisineria Redhead, Aythya americana Baer's pochard, Aythya baeri Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula Greater scaup, Aythya marila Red-crested pochard, Netta rufina Harlequin duck, Histrionicus histrionicus Long-tailed duck, Clangula hyemalis Black scoter, Melanitta americana Velvet scoter, Melanitta fusca Stejneger's scoter, Melanitta stejnegeri Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula Barrow's goldeneye, Bucephala islandica Smew, Mergellus albellus Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator Scaly-sided merganser, Mergus squamatus Common merganser, Mergus merganser
Osprey Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Pandionidae The osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is a medium large raptor which is a specialist fish-eater with a worldwide distribution. The osprey is particularly well adapted to its diet, with reversible outer toes, closable nostrils to keep out water during dives and backwards facing scales on the talons which act as barbs to help catch fish. It locates its prey from the air, often hovering prior to plunging feet-first into the water to seize a fish.
Osprey, Pandion haliaetus
Hawks, kites and eagles
Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Accipitridae
From the family Accipitridae, they range from small to large birds with strongly hooked bills and variable morphology based on diet. They feed on a range of prey items from insects to medium-sized mammals, with a number feeding on carrion
Oriental honey-buzzard, Pernis ptilorhynchus Black-eared kite, Milvus migrans White-tailed eagle, Haliaeetus albicilla Steller's sea-eagle, Haliaeetus pelagicus Lammergeier, Gypaetus barbatus Eurasian black vulture, Aegypius monachus Eastern marsh-harrier, Circus spilonotus Northern harrier, Circus cyaneus Pied harrier, Circus melanoleucos Japanese sparrowhawk, Accipiter gularis Eurasian sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus Northern goshawk, Accipiter gentilis Chinese sparrowhawk, Accipiter soloensis Grey-faced buzzard, Butastur indicus Common buzzard, Buteo buteo Upland buzzard, Buteo hemilasius Rough-legged hawk, Buteo lagopus Greater spotted eagle, Clanga clanga Steppe eagle, Aquila nipalensis Eastern imperial eagle, Aquila heliaca Golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos Mountain hawk-eagle, Nisaetus nipalensis Crested serpent eagle, Spilornis cheela
Falcons
Order: FalconiformesFamily: Falconidae
Falcons have thin, pointed wings, which allow them to dive at extremely high speeds. (Peregrine falcons, the fastest animals on Earth, are said to have reached speeds of up to 200 mph.)
Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus Eurasian hobby, Falco subbuteo Common kestrel, Falco tinnunculus Amur falcon, Falco amurensis Merlin, Falco columbarius Saker falcon, Falco cherrug
Pheasants and grouse
Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
Phasianidae consists of the pheasants and their allies; the grouse are sometimes considered to make up a separate family, the Tetraonidae. These are terrestrial species, variable in size but generally plump with broad relatively short wings. Many species are gamebirds or have been domesticated as a food source for humans. There are 180 species worldwide and 4 species in Korea.
Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica Common pheasant, Phasianus colchicus Black grouse, Lyrurus tetrix Hazel grouse, Tetrastes bonasia
Buttonquail
Order: TurniciformesFamily: Turnicidae
The buttonquails or hemipodes are a small family of birds which resemble, but are unrelated to, the true quails. This is an Old World group, which inhabits warm grasslands. Buttonquail are small drab running birds, which avoid flying. The female is the brighter of the sexes and initiates courtship. The male incubates the eggs and tends the young. There are 15 species worldwide, with 1 species in Korea.
Yellow-legged buttonquail, Turnix tanki
Cranes
Order: GruiformesFamily: Gruidae
Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances". There are 15 species worldwide, 7 Korean species.
White-naped crane, Grus vipio Hooded crane, Grus monacha Red-crowned crane, Grus japonensis Siberian crane, Grus leucogeranus Sandhill crane, Grus canadensis Common crane, Grus grus Demoiselle crane, Anthropoides virgo
Rails and crakes
Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds, including rails, crakes, coots and gallinules. The most typical family members occupy dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds and thus difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers. There are 143 species worldwide and 9 Korean species.