Japanese wagtail (Japanese wagtail) - Japanese wagtail (English spelling)

Japanese: セグロセキレイ(背黒鶺鴒) - セグロセキレイ（英語表記）Japanese wagtail

A bird of the Wagtail family in the passerine order (illustration). Total length is about 21 cm. The back, face, and chest are black, while the forehead and belly are white. It has a prominent white eyebrow. It is endemic to Japan, breeding in Hokkaido, Honshu, Sado Island, Shikoku, and Kyushu, and some of them migrate to warmer areas in winter. It is closely related to the White Wagtail, and is thought to have differentiated in recent geological times. It lives in the middle reaches of rivers and on the shores of lakes where there are lots of stones, and while walking along the water's edge, it mainly catches and eats aquatic insects and larvae. In early spring, it builds nests in gaps between stones on the riverbank, in thick grass, under piles of stones or wood, or in gaps in houses, and lays 4 to 6 eggs per clutch.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

スズメ目セキレイ科の鳥（イラスト）。全長約21cm。背中，顔，胸が黒く，額，腹は白い。白色のよく目だつ眉斑がある。日本特産種で，北海道，本州，佐渡島，四国，九州で繁殖し，冬季に一部は暖地に移動する。ハクセキレイとはごく近縁で，最近の地質時代に分化したものと考えられる。石がごろごろしている河川中流域や湖岸にすみ，水ぎわを歩きながらおもに水生昆虫や幼虫をとらえて食べる。早春，河原の石の隙間や茂った草の間，積み上げられた石や木材の下，人家の隙間などに巣をつくり，1腹4～6個の卵を産む。

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