List of birds of Korea
This is a list of all birds recorded in the wild in the Korean Peninsula and its islands.
This is a list of all birds recorded in the wild in the Korean Peninsula and its islands.

Loons
Order: Gaviiformes   Family: 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: Podicipediformes   Family: 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: Procellariidae   Family: 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: Procellariiformes   Family: 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: Procellariidae   Family: 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: Suliformes   Family: Sulidae
This group comprises medium to large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish.

Brown booby, Sula leucogaster
Masked booby, Sula dactylatra

Cormorants
Order: Suliformes   Family: 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: Suliformes   Family: 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: Pelecaniformes   Family: 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 pelican Pelecanus philippensis
Dalmatian pelican, Pelecanus crispus

Herons
Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: 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: Pelecaniformes   Family: 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: Ciconiiformes   Family: 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: Anseriformes   Family: 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: Accipitriformes   Family: Pandionidae
The osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is a medium large raptor which is a specialist fish-eater with a worldwide distribution. 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: Accipitriformes   Family: 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: Falconiformes   Family: 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: Galliformes   Family: 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: Turniciformes   Family: 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: Gruiformes   Family: 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: Gruiformes   Family: 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.

Swinhoe's rail, Coturnicops exquisitus
Water rail, Rallus aquaticus
White-breasted waterhen, Amaurornis phoenicurus
Baillon's crake, Porzana pusilla
Ruddy-breasted crake, Porzana fusca
Band-bellied crake, Porzana paykullii
Watercock, Gallicrex cinerea
Common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
Common coot, Fulica atra

Bustards
Order: Otidiformes   Family: Otididae
Bustards, including floricans and korhaans, are large terrestrial birds mainly associated with dry open country and steppes in the Old World. They make up the family Otididae (formerly known as Otidae). Bustards are all fairly large and two species, the kori bustard and the great bustards are frequently cited as the world's heaviest flying birds, since both may exceed 20 kg (44 lbs).

Great bustard, Otis tarda

Jacanas
Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Jacanidae
Jacanas are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat. The females are larger than the males, and some species are polyandrous. However, adults of both sexes look identical, as with most shorebirds. They feed on insects and other invertebrates picked from the floating vegetation or the water's surface. Most species are sedentary, but the pheasant-tailed jacana migrates from the north of its range into peninsular India and southeast Asia. It is the only one of the world's 8 jacana species found in Korea.

Pheasant-tailed jacana, Hydrophasianus chirurgus

Painted snipes
Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Rostratulidae
Painted snipes are short-legged, long-billed birds similar in shape to the true snipes, but much more brightly coloured. The female is brighter than the male and takes the lead in courtship. The male incubates the eggs, usually four, in a nest on the ground or floating for about 20 days. All three species live in reedy swampland, and their diet consists of annelid worms and other invertebrates, which they find with their long bills. There are 3 species worldwide, of which only one is recorded from Korea.

Greater painted-snipe, Rostratula benghalensis

Oystercatchers
Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large, obvious and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs. There are 11 species worldwide and 1 Korean species.

Eurasian oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus

Stilts and avocets
Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds, which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. There are 9 species worldwide and 2 Korean species.

Black-winged stilt, Himantopus himantopus
Pied avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta

Coursers and pratincoles
Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Glareolidae

Oriental pratincole, Glareola maldivarum

Plovers and lapwings
Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Charadriidae
The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water. There are 66 species worldwide and 12 Korean species, of which 3 breed in Korea.

Pacific golden plover, Pluvialis fulva
Grey plover, Pluvialis squatarola
Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula
Long-billed plover, Charadrius placidus
Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius
Kentish plover, Charadrius alexandrinus
Mongolian plover, Charadrius mongolus
Greater sand plover, Charadrius leschenaultii
Caspian plover, Charadrius asiaticus
Northern lapwing, Vanellus vanellus
Grey-headed lapwing, Vanellus cinereus

Waders
Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Scolopacidae
Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Different lengths of legs and bills enable multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.

Eurasian woodcock, Scolopax rusticola
Solitary snipe, Gallinago solitaria
Latham's snipe, Gallinago hardwickii
Pintail snipe, Gallinago stenura
Swinhoe's snipe, Gallinago megala
Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago
Jack snipe, Lymnocryptes minimus
Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa
Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica
Little curlew, Numenius minutus
Eurasian whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus
Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata
Far Eastern curlew, Numenius madagascariensis
Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus
Common redshank, Tringa totanus
Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia
Marsh sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis
Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola
Nordmann's greenshank, Tringa guttifer
Greater yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca
Grey-tailed tattler, Tringa brevipes
Green sandpiper, Tringa ochropus
Terek sandpiper, Xenus cinereus
Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos
Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres
Long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus
Asian dowitcher, Limnodromus semipalmatus
Great knot, Calidris tenuirostris
Red knot, Calidris canutus
Sanderling, Calidris alba
Red-necked stint, Calidris ruficollis
Temminck's stint, Calidris temminckii
Little stint, Calidris minuta
Long-toed stint, Calidris subminuta
Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos
Sharp-tailed sandpiper, Calidris acuminata
Dunlin, Calidris alpina
Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea
Buff-breasted sandpiper, Tryngites subruficollis
Spoonbill sandpiper, Eurynorhynchus pygmeus
Broad-billed sandpiper, Limicola falcinellus
Ruff, Philomachus pugnax
Red-necked phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus
Red phalarope, Phalaropus fulicaria
Wilson's phalarope, Steganopus tricolor

Skuas, gulls, terns and skimmers
Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Laridae
There are 91 species worldwide and 23 species in Korea.

Parasitic jaeger, Stercorarius parasiticus
Black-tailed gull, Larus crassirostris
Common gull, Larus canus
Herring gull, Larus argentatus
Slaty-backed gull, Larus schistisagus
Caspian gull, Larus cachinnans
Heuglin's gull, Larus heuglini
Glaucous-winged gull, Larus glaucescens
Glaucous gull, Larus hyperboreus
Iceland gull, Larus glaucoides
Black-headed gull, Larus ridibundus
Saunders's gull, Larus saundersi
Relict gull, Larus relictus
Sabine's gull, Xema sabini
Ross's gull, Rhodostethia rosea
Black-legged kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla
Ivory gull, Pagophila eburnea
Gull-billed tern, Sterna nilotica
Great crested tern, Sterna bergii
Common tern, Sterna hirundo
Little tern, Sterna albifrons
Sooty tern, Sterna fuscata
Whiskered tern, Chlidonias hybridus
White-winged tern, Chlidonias leucopterus

Auks
Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Alcidae
An auk is a bird of the family Alcidae in the order Charadriiformes. Auks are superficially similar to penguins due to their black-and-white colours, their upright posture and some of their habits. Nevertheless, they are not closely related to penguins, but rather are believed to be an example of moderate convergent evolution. There are 22 species worldwide, with 8 found in Korea.

Common murre, Uria aalge
Spectacled guillemot, Cepphus carbo
Ancient murrelet, Synthliboramphus antiquus
Marbled murrelet, Brachyramphus marmoratus
Japanese murrelet, Synthliboramphus wumizusume
Least auklet, Aethia pusilla
Rhinoceros auklet, Cerorhinca monocerata

Sandgrouse
Order: Pterocliformes   Family: Pteroclidae
Sandgrouse have small, pigeon like heads and necks, but sturdy compact bodies. They have long pointed wings and sometimes tails and a fast direct flight. Flocks fly to watering holes at dawn and dusk. They are restricted to treeless open country in the Old World, such as plains and semi-deserts. Legs are feathered down to the toes, and genus Syrrhaptes has the toes feathered as well. There are 16 species worldwide, with one species in Korea.

Pallas's sandgrouse, Syrrhaptes paradoxus

Pigeons and doves
Order: Columbiformes   Family: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. There are 308 species worldwide and 7 Korean species.

Hill pigeon, Columba rupestris
Japanese wood-pigeon, Columba janthina
Stock pigeon, Columba oenas
Oriental turtle dove, Streptopelia orientalis
Red collared-dove, Streptopelia tranquebarica
Eurasian collared dove, Streptopelia decaocto
White-bellied green pigeon, Treron sieboldii

Cuckoos
Order: Cuculiformes   Family: Cuculidae
The cuckoos are generally medium-sized slender birds. The majority are arboreal, with a sizeable minority that are terrestrial. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, with the majority of species being tropical. The temperate species are migratory. The cuckoos feed on insects, insect larvae and a variety of other animals, as well as fruit. Many species are brood parasites, laying their eggs in the nests of other species, but the majority of species raise their own young.

Hodgson's hawk-cuckoo, Cuculus fugax
Indian cuckoo, Cuculus micropterus
Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus
Oriental cuckoo, Cuculus saturatus
Lesser cuckoo, Cuculus poliocephalus
Chestnut-winged cuckoo, Clamator coromandus

Owls
Order: Strigiformes   Family: Strigidae
Owls are solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk. 11 Korean species have been recorded.

Eurasian scops-owl, Otus scops
Sunda scops-owl, Otus lempiji
Eurasian eagle owl, Bubo bubo
Snowy owl, Nyctea scandiaca
Himalayan owl, Strix nivicolum
Ural owl, Strix uralensis
Northern hawk owl, Surnia ulula
Little owl, Athene noctua
Northern boobook, Ninox japonica
Long-eared owl, Asio otus
Short-eared owl, Asio flammeus

Nightjars
Order: Caprimulgiformes   Family: Caprimulgidae
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is cryptically coloured to resemble bark or leaves.

Grey nightjar, Caprimulgus jotaka

Swifts and needletails
Order: Apodiformes   Family: Apodidae
The swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang. There are 3 Korean species.

White-throated needletail, Hirundapus caudacutus
Pacific swift, Apus pacificus
Little swift, Apus affinis

Hoopoes
Order: Upupiformes   Family: Upupidae
There is only one species of hoopoe worldwide. Hoopoes are widespread in Europe, Asia and North Africa, as well as Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. They migrate from all but the southernmost part of their range to the tropics in winter. Their habitat is open cultivated ground with short grass or bare patches. They spend much time on the ground hunting insects and worms.

Eurasian hoopoe, Upupa epops

Rollers
Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Coraciidae
Rollers are insect eaters, usually catching their prey in the air. They often perch prominently whilst hunting, like giant shrikes. They resemble crows in size and build, but are more closely related to the kingfishers and bee-eaters. They share the colourful appearance of those groups, blues and browns predominating. The two inner front toes are connected, but not the outer one. There are twelve species worldwide, but only one is found in Korea.

Dollarbird, Eurystomus orientalis

River kingfishers
Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Alcedinidae
The river kingfishers are one of the three families of bird in the kingfisher group.

Common kingfisher, Alcedo atthis
Ruddy kingfisher, Halcyon coromanda
Black-capped kingfisher, Halcyon pileata

Water kingfishers
Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Cerylidae
These are all specialist fish-eating species, unlike many representatives of the other two families, and it is likely that they are all descended from fish-eating kingfishers which founded populations in the New World. It was believed that the entire group evolved in the Americas, but this seems not to be true. The original ancestor possibly evolved in Africa - at any rate in the Old World - and the Chloroceryle species are the youngest ones.

Crested kingfisher, Megaceryle lugubris

Woodpeckers
Order: Piciformes   Family: Picidae
Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks. There are more than 200 species worldwide and 11 species in Korea.

Eurasian wryneck, Jynx torquilla
Japanese pygmy woodpecker, Dendrocopos kizuki
Great spotted woodpecker, Dendrocopos major
Lesser spotted woodpecker, Dendrocopos minor
White-backed woodpecker, Dendrocopos leucotos
Rufous-bellied woodpecker, Dendrocopos hyperythrus
Grey-capped pygmy woodpecker, Dendrocopos canicapillus
Eurasian three-toed woodpecker, Picoides tridactylus
Tristram's woodpecker, Dryocopus javensis
Black woodpecker, Dryocopus martius
Grey-faced woodpecker, Picus canus

Passeriformes
Pittidae
Pitta nympha, fairy pitta

Laniidae
Campephagidae
Pericrocotus divaricatus, ashy minivet
Coracina melaschistos, black-winged cuckoo-shrike

Monarchidae
Terpsiphone incei, Amur paradise flycatcher
Terpsiphone atrocaudata, Japanese paradise flycatcher

Oriolidae
Oriolus chinensis, black-naped oriole

Dicruridae
Dicrurus macrocercus, black drongo
Dicrurus hottentottus, hair-crested drongo
Dicrurus leucophaeus, ashy drongo

Artamidae
Artamus leucorynchus, white-breasted woodswallow

Corvidae
Pica sericea, Oriental magpie
Garrulus glandarius, Eurasian jay
Cyanopica cyana, azure-winged magpie
Nucifraga caryocatactes, spotted nutcracker
Coloeus dauuricus, Daurian jackdaw
Corvus frugilegus, rook
Corvus corone, carrion crow
Corvus macrorhynchos, large-billed crow
Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, red-billed chough

Bombycillidae
Bombycilla garrulus, Bohemian waxwing
Bombycilla japonica, Japanese waxwing

Cinclidae
Cinclus pallasii, brown dipper

Turdidae
Monticola gularis, white-throated rock thrush
Monticola solitarius, blue rock thrush
Zoothera sibirica, Siberian thrush
Zoothera dauma, scaly thrush
Turdus hortulorum, grey-backed thrush
Turdus cardis, Japanese thrush
Turdus obscurus, eyebrowed thrush
Turdus pallidus, pale thrush
Turdus chrysolaus, brown-headed thrush
Turdus ruficollis, dark-throated thrush
Turdus naumanni eunomus, dusky thrush (ssp. in Japan)
Turdus naumanni naumanni, dusky thrush
Turdus merula, Eurasian blackbird

Muscicapidae
Muscicapa griseisticta, grey-streaked flycatcher
Muscicapa sibirica, dark-sided flycatcher
Muscicapa dauurica, Asian brown flycatcher
Ficedula zanthopygia, yellow-rumped flycatcher
Ficedula narcissina, Narcissus flycatcher
Ficedula mugimaki, mugimaki flycatcher
Ficedula parva, red-breasted flycatcher
Cyanoptila cyanomelana, blue-and-white flycatcher
Erithacus akahige, Japanese robin
Luscinia sibilans, rufous-tailed robin
Luscinia calliope, Siberian rubythroat
Luscinia svecica, bluethroat
Luscinia cyane, Siberian blue robin
Tarsiger cyanurus, orange-flanked bush-robin
Phoenicurus ochruros, black redstart
Phoenicurus auroreus, Daurian redstart
Saxicola maurus, Siberian stonechat
Saxicola stejnegeri, Amur stonechat
Saxicola ferrea, grey bushchat
Oenanthe pleschanka, pied wheatear

Sturnidae
Spodiopsar cineraceus, white-cheeked starling
Agropsar philippensis, chestnut-cheeked starling
Agropsar sturninus, Daurian starling
Sturnia sinensis, white-shouldered starling
Sturnus vulgaris, common starling

Sittidae
Sitta europaea, Eurasian nuthatch
Sitta villosa, snowy-browed nuthatch

Certhiidae
Certhia familiaris, common treecreeper

Troglodytidae
Troglodytes troglodytes, Eurasian wren

Paridae
Parus minor, Japanese tit
Parus varius, varied tit
Parus ater, coal tit
Parus montanus, willow tit
Parus palustris, marsh tit
Panurus biarmicus, bearded tit
Remiz pendulinus, Eurasian penduline tit

Aegithalidae
Aegithalos caudatus, long-tailed tit

Hirundinidae
Riparia riparia, sand martin
Hirundo rustica, barn swallow
Cecropis daurica, red-rumped swallow
Delichon urbica, common house martin

Regulidae
Regulus regulus, goldcrest

Pycnonotidae
Ixos amaurotis, brown-eared bulbul

Cisticolidae
Cisticola juncidis, zitting cisticola

Zosteropidae
Zosterops erythropleurus, chestnut-flanked white-eye
Zosterops japonicus, Japanese white-eye

Cettiidae
Urosphena squameiceps, Asian stubtail
Horornis diphone, Japanese bush warbler

Locustellidae
Locustella lanceolata, lanceolated warbler
Helopsaltes certhiola, Pallas's grasshopper warbler
Helopsaltes ochotensis, Middendorff's grasshopper warbler
Helopsaltes pleskei, Pleske's grasshopper warbler
Helopsaltes fasciolatus, Gray's grasshopper warbler
Helopsaltes pryeri, marsh grassbird

Acrocephalidae
Acrocephalus bistrigiceps, black-browed reed warbler
Acrocephalus arundinaceus, great reed warbler
Arundinax aedon, thick-billed warbler

Phylloscopidae
Phylloscopus fuscatus, dusky warbler
Phylloscopus schwarzi, Radde's warbler
Bradypterus thoracicus, spotted bush-warbler
Phylloscopus proregulus, lemon-rumped warbler
Phylloscopus inornatus, inornate warbler
Phylloscopus borealis, Arctic warbler
Phylloscopus trochiloides, greenish warbler
Phylloscopus tenellipes, pale-legged leaf warbler
Phylloscopus occipitalis, western crowned warbler

Sylviidae
Paradoxornis webbianus, vinous-throated parrotbill
Sylvia curruca, lesser whitethroat
Rhopophilus pekinensis, Beijing babbler

Alaudidae
Calandrella cinerea, red-capped lark
Alaudala cheleensis, Asian short-toed lark
Galerida cristata, crested lark
Alauda arvensis, sky lark

Passeridae
Passer cinnamomeus, russet sparrow
Passer montanus, Eurasian tree sparrow
Dendronanthus indicus, forest wagtail
Motacilla alba, white wagtail
Motacilla lugens, black-backed wagtail
Motacilla grandis, Japanese wagtail
Motacilla flava, yellow wagtail
Motacilla cinerea, grey wagtail
Anthus richardi, Richard's pipit
Anthus godlewskii, Blyth's pipit
Anthus hodgsoni, olive-backed pipit
Anthus gustavi, Pechora pipit
Anthus cervinus, red-throated pipit
Anthus roseatus, rosy pipit
Anthus spinoletta, water pipit
Prunella collaris, alpine accentor
Prunella montanella, Siberian accentor

Fringillidae
Fringilla montifringilla, brambling
Chloris sinica, grey-capped greenfinch
Spinus pinus, pine siskin
Acanthis hornemanni, hoary redpoll
Acanthis flammea, common redpoll
Leucosticte arctoa, Asian rosy finch
Uragus sibiricus, long-tailed rosefinch
Carpodacus erythrinus, common rosefinch
Carpodacus roseus, Pallas's rosefinch
Pinicola enucleator, pine grosbeak
Loxia curvirostra, red crossbill
Loxia leucoptera, white-winged crossbill
Pyrrhula pyrrhula, Eurasian bullfinch
Coccothraustes coccothraustes, hawfinch
Eophona migratoria, yellow-billed grosbeak
Eophona personata, Japanese grosbeak
Emberiza cioides, meadow bunting
Emberiza leucocephalos, pine bunting
Emberiza jankowskii, rufous-backed bunting
Emberiza tristrami, Tristram's bunting
Emberiza fucata, chestnut-eared bunting
Emberiza pusilla, little bunting
Emberiza chrysophrys, yellow-browed bunting
Emberiza rustica, rustic bunting
Emberiza elegans, yellow-throated bunting
Emberiza aureola, yellow-breasted bunting
Emberiza rutila, chestnut bunting
Emberiza sulphurata, yellow bunting
Emberiza spodocephala, black-faced bunting
Emberiza variabilis, grey bunting
Emberiza pallasi, Pallas's bunting
Emberiza schoeniclus, reed bunting
Emberiza yessoensis, ochre-rumped bunting
Emberiza bruniceps, red-headed bunting

Calcariidae
Calcarius lapponicus, Lapland longspur
Plectrophenax nivalis, snow bunting

See also
List of birds of North Korea
List of birds of South Korea

Notes
References and further reading
Collinson, Martin. Splitting headaches? Recent taxonomic changes affecting the British and Western Palaearctic lists British Birds vol 99 (June 2006), 306-323
Jo, Sam-rae (조삼래) (2002). 서산의 새 [Seosanui sae] [English title: Birds of Seosan, Korea]. Gongju, South Korea: Kongju National University Press. ISBN 89-88421-34-5.
Lee, Woo-Shin; Koo, Tae-Hoe; Park, Jin-Young (2000). A field guide to the birds of Korea. Translated by Allen, Desmond. Seoul: LG Evergreen Foundation. ISBN 89-951415-0-6.
Moores, Nial; Charlie Moores (2004). "A presumed Steppe Grey Shrike (Lanius pallidirostris) on Socheong Island, S Korea" (PDF). Biological Letters. 41 (2): 163–166. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2006-12-25.