Title image: Birding in Beijing by Madeleine Donahue.
This page provides a basic status of those species reliably recorded in the capital, including maximum counts where available. The intention is to maintain this page as “live” and it will be updated as and when new species or notable records are discovered, or when there is a greater understanding of a species’ status. Additional information, such as first and last dates for migrants, will be added in due course.
As of October 2020, the official list of species recorded in Beijing, last published in 2014, is under review by a team led by Professor Zhao Xinru of Beijing Normal University. We expect the revised list to be published in 2022 and this page will be updated to reflect the latest official list as soon as it is available.
Sources for the information included on this page include: The Birds of Beijing by Cai Qikan (1987); A Handbook to the Birds of Eastern China (J D D La Touche, 1931-1935); The Birds of Hopei Province by Tsen-Hwang Shaw (1936); China Bird Reports (CBR) 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007; Birds of Beijing (2021); birdreport.cn; eBird; Wild Beijing Latest Sightings page; birding WeChat groups; and personal notes. A huge thank you to all the birders who have submitted sightings to one or more of these repositories, and especially to young birders such as Lou Fangzhou and Liu Aitao for assisting with important records.
There are gaps in this summary and Wild Beijing welcomes corrections, additions and updates in order to ensure this page is, and remains, as accurate as possible. Any errors or omissions are the responsibility of the author.
The Status of the Birds of Beijing
Last update: 16 July 2023 (new record of Chestnut Bulbul)
Format: English name, scientific name, Chinese name, pinyin
Phasianidae 雉科
CHUKAR Alectoris chukar 石鸡 Shí jī
Scarce resident in mountainous areas of Beijing, in particular Mentougou District. Most reliable site is the Youzhou Valley near Yanhecheng in Mentougou District. Also recorded at Lingshan, Shidu (Fangshan District) and in the mountains of Yanqing County.
Highest count: 50 on 12 January 2019 at Yanhecheng (Li Zhaonan)
DAURIAN PARTRIDGE Perdix dauurica 斑翅山鹑 Bān chì shān chún
Formerly scarce and now rare, and declining, resident on scrubby hillsides. Formerly present in winter at Ma Chang, Yeyahu and along the nearby Guishui River but no recent records at these sites, possibly due to a rise in water levels. The most recent records include one on 24 December 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt) and four at Lingshan on 10 December 2020 (Wang Xiaobo), with 11 there on 17 December 2020 and 2 January 2021 (大牙齿 458 et al.).
Highest count: 15 on 5 November 2005 at the GuiShui River, Yanqing (WC, CBR2005)
JAPANESE QUAIL Coturnix japonica, 鹌鹑 Ānchún
Common passage migrant and winter visitor in any areas of scrub or long grass. Recorded in every month but rare in July (one singing on 5 July 2020 in Shunyi was an exceptional record). Possibly breeds on occasion.
Highest count: 30 on 9 May 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (白尾 海雕)
KOKLASS PHEASANT Pucrasia macrolopha, 勺鸡 Sháo jī
Uncommon resident in mountainous areas, especially Mentougou and Miyun Districts.
Highest count: “Up to eight females with seven juveniles” at Donglinshan, Mentougou on 14-16 June 2003 (CBR2003); at least 13 calling males on 11 March 2021 at Da’anshan Forest Station (Restricted access) (XiaoPT, Zhang Shen et al.); 10 at Laoyugou on 1 April 2023 (大牙齿 458 and Hang Ye).
BROWN EARED-PHEASANT Crossoptilon mantchuricum, 褐马鸡 Hè mǎ jī
Rare and unobtrusive resident in the mountains in Mentougou District. Recorded most frequently at Baihuashan, Lingshan and Xiaolongmen.
Highest counts: 25 on 26 January 2004 at Lingshan (BA in CBR2004); 10+ on 21 January 2021 at Da’anshan Forest Station (Zhang Shen, XiaoPT, 大牙齿 458 et al.); nine at Donglingshan, Mentougou on 20 December 2003 (CBR2003); five on 4 April 2017 at Xaolongmen (Beijing Feiyu et al.)
COMMON PHEASANT Phasianus colchicus 雉鸡 Zhì jī
Common resident in scrubby lowland and mountains alike.
Highest count: 30 on 30 October 2004 at Yeyahu (Zli in CBR2004)
Anatidae 鸭科
LESSER WHISTLING DUCK Dendrocygna javanica 栗树鸭 Lì shù yā
Very rare vagrant. An adult was photographed at the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, Tongzhou on the 12 June 2017 by Zhang Chunxi and is thought to be most likely of wild origin.
SWAN GOOSE Anser cygnoides, 鸿雁 Hóngyàn
Passage migrant and winter visitor in small numbers, mostly October to March.
Highest count: 400 on 19 March 2011 at Yeyahu (Terry Townshend, Brian Jones and Spike Millington); 400 on 25 March 2007 at Wild Duck Lake (Bjorn Andersson, CBR2007); 360+ west on 23 March 2021 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Colm Moore)
TAIGA BEAN GOOSE Anser fabalis, 豆雁 Dòu yàn
Passage migrant and winter visitor. Recorded in all months except July and August. Scarcer than Tundra Bean Goose; sometimes found in mixed flocks. Relative to Tundra Bean Goose, prefers to feed in water where it looks for submerged tubers, similar to Swan Goose. Status may be clouded by difficulty in separation from Tundra, with some individuals safest left unassigned beyond Bean Goose sp.
Highest counts: 1,000 reported on 27 October 2014 (with just 200 Tundra Bean Geese) at Miyun Reservoir (盎然子 via Birdreport.cn); 57 on 21 October 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt)
TUNDRA BEAN GOOSE Anser serrirostris 短嘴豆雁 Duǎn zuǐ dòu yàn
Common passage migrant and winter visitor, sometimes in flocks of over 1,000. Prefers to graze and less often seen feeding on water cf Taiga Bean Goose. Best sites are reservoirs such as Guanting, Miyun and Shahe.
Highest count: 1,740 on 3 December 2013 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt)
Recording: Tundra Bean Goose, Taishitun, 25 December 2020.
GREYLAG GOOSE Anser anser 灰雁 Huī yàn
The pink-billed eastern subspecies is a scarce passage migrant in spring (late Feb to May, peaking in April) and in autumn (September to November); has over-summered at Yeyahu NR – possibly bred – but rare December to mid-February). Status clouded by the presence of some free-flying feral birds.
Highest count: 80 on 13 October 2019 at Yeyahu (Xue Boning)
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE Anser albifrons 白额雁 Bái é yàn
Uncommon passage migrant in spring (peaking in April) and autumn (peaking in October). Rare winter visitor and very rare in summer.
Highest count: 114 on 21 October 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt)
LESSER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE Anser erythropus 小白额雁 Xiǎo bái é yàn
Rare passage migrant. Not annual. Often with flocks of other goose sp., especially Greater White-fronted or Tundra/Taiga Bean Goose. When it occurs, sometimes in small groups.
Highest count: 47 on 21 October 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt)
BAR-HEADED GOOSE Anser indicus 斑头雁 Bān tóuyàn
Scarce passage migrant, primarily March to May and September to October, and rare winter visitor but true status clouded by the occasional occurrence of birds of presumed feral origin. An apparently free-flying population exists at Beijing Zoo.
Most sightings are of singles but occasionally up to five have been seen together. Favoured sites include Miyun reservoir, Ma Chang/Yeyahu and Shahe reservoir.
Highest count: eight on 23 October 2022 at the Olympic Forest Park (mixed with feral Swan and Greylag Geese); five at the DaShi River on 22 April 2018 (Luo Qingqing)
SNOW GOOSE Anser caerulescens 雪雁 Xuě yàn
Very rare vagrant. Historical records from the 1930s. Frequently seen by G. D. Wilder based in Tung Hsien (Tongzhou) between November 1932 and April 1933 (Wilder 1933). Wilder & Hubbard (1938) noted having collected a specimen ‘near Beijing’. A vagrant to China.
BRENT GOOSE (BLACK BRANT) Branta bernicla nigricans 黑雁 Hēi yàn
Very rare. Only one confirmed Beijing record, from Huairou Reservoir 24 April 2014 (Hou Xiaoyu), remaining until 19 May at least.
EGYPTIAN GOOSE Alopochen aegyptiaca 埃及雁 Āijí yàn
One historical record, of suspect origin, from May 1866 (Cai, 1987)
MUTE SWAN Cygnus olor 疣鼻天鹅 Yóu bí tiān’é
Rare passage migrant in late Autumn and early spring, occasional in winter. Most records November-December and late February-March.
Highest count: 19 on 2 March 2019 at Nanhaizi (DaHe).
BEWICK’S (TUNDRA) SWAN Cygnus columbianus 小天鹅 Xiǎo tiān’é
Passage migrant in late autumn and early spring and scarce winter visitor. Very rare in summer. Most records in March and April and late October and November. One unusual record in June/July 2017 at Huairou Reservoir (Paul Holt, XiaoPT, Zhao Min et al..)
Highest count: 400 on 25 March 2007 at Wild Duck Lake (Bjorn Andersson, CBR2005).
WHOOPER SWAN Cygnus cygnus 大天鹅 Dà tiān’é
Passage migrant and winter visitor to wetlands, especially reservoirs, primarily from November to March. Rare May to August. Four on 30 June 2019 at Nanhaizi (pksunking via Birdreport.cn) is an exceptional mid-summer record.
Highest count: 403 on 15 March 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (Jan-Erik Nilsén)
COMMON SHELDUCK Tadorna tadorna 翘鼻麻鸭 Qiào bí má yā
Recorded in all months but primarily a passage migrant in spring (March to May, peaking in late March-early April), and again in autumn (October and November). Rare in winter and summer.
Highest count: 200 on 24 October 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Chen Liang)
RUDDY SHELDUCK Tadorna ferruginea 赤麻鸭 Chìmá yā
Common winter visitor and passage migrant primarily from mid-September to May, often in large numbers at wetlands and reservoirs. Recorded in all months but uncommon June to early September.
Highest count: 2,000 on 10 March 2013 at Miyun Reservoir (Yan Shen)
Recording: Ruddy Shelduck, Wenyu River, 2 January 2021
MANDARIN DUCK Aix galericulata 鸳鸯 Yuānyāng
Common summer breeder and passage migrant, with some wintering. Breeds in urban parks including the grounds of Peking University, Beijing Zoo and the Agricultural Exhibition Center, as well as the Wenyu River and more remote wooded rivers and streams. Reliable winter sites include the Agricultural Exhibition Center Park, Beihai Park, Chaoyang Park, Peking University, and Shidu.
Highest count: 198 on 30 January 2018 at Beihai Park (SEE大年 via Birdreport.cn)
COTTON PYGMY-GOOSE Nettapus coromandelianus 棉凫 Mián fú
Rare overshooting summer vagrant (May to October). Recent records: one on 16 May 2017 at Summer Palace (Zhang Yu); one on 20 September to 5 October 2017 at least at Yuanmingyuan (Zhang Weimin et al..); two on 13 September 2019 at Huanghuacheng Great Wall Water Park, Huairou District (ChenQian9119 via Birdreport.cn); one on 19 July 2022 at Huairou Reservoir (via Fu Cong); one on 31 July 2022 -1 August 2022 at least at Marco Polo Bridge, Fengtai District (赫安琪 via 蛐蛐); one (female) on 13 August 2022 at Ma Chang (Cory Gao et al.); one at Ming Tombs Reservoir on 20 September 2022 (Colm Moore).
GADWALL Anas strepera 赤膀鸭 Chì bǎng yā
Common passage migrant, peaking in late March and October and uncommon winter visitor; scarce in July and August.
Highest counts: 2,000 on 15 October 2020 at Yeyahu (Hu Ruocheng et al.); 1,445 on 31 October 2018 at Ma Chang (Paul Holt)
FALCATED DUCK Anas falcata 罗纹鸭 Luówén yā
Common passage migrant, with peaks in early April and September to November. A few winter if suitable open water. Rare in June, July and August.
Highest count: “1,500 at least” on 24 March 2021 at Yeyahu (XiaoPT and 大牙齿 458); 500 at Yeyahu on 3 April 2021 (大牙齿 458); 400+ on 13 April 2013 at Miyun Reservoir (Jan-Erik Nilsén); 400 on 5 April 2013 at Ma Chang (Tong Mu)
EURASIAN WIGEON Anas penelope 赤颈鸭 Chì jǐng yā
Common passage migrant and scarce winter visitor. Records in all months except June, July and August.
Highest count: “Almost 1,000” on 6 November 2005 at Wild Duck Lake (Bjorn Andersson)
AMERICAN WIGEON Mareca americana 绿眉鸭 Lǜ méi yā
Very rare vagrant. One record: a male at Ming Tombs Reservoir on 5 March 2020 (Wang Xue et al.)
MALLARD Anas platyrhynchos 绿头鸭 Lǜ tóu yā
Abundant breeder, passage migrant and winter visitor, with counts of 100s and even 1000s not uncommon.
Highest count: 3,732 on 30-31 October 2004 at Shahe Reservoir, Changping (CYZn CBR2004).
CHINESE SPOT-BILLED DUCK Anas zonorhyncha 斑嘴鸭 Bān zuǐ yā
Common passage migrant, breeder and (less common) winter visitor.
Highest count: 300 on 2 October 2004 at Hanshiqiao, Shunyi (HP in CBR2004)
NORTHERN SHOVELER Anas clypeata 琵嘴鸭 Pí zuǐ yā
Primarily a scarce passage migrant in spring (peaking in March and April), and autumn (September to November). Very scarce winter visitor and rare in June, July and early August.
Highest count: 100 on 31 March 2018 at Miyun Reservoir (Shanghai Wild Bird Society)
NORTHERN PINTAIL Anas acuta 针尾鸭 Zhēn wěi yā
Passage migrant peaking in March and October, and winter visitor in small numbers. No records in June, July or August.
Highest count: 200 on 1 March 2003 at Yeyahu (CBR2003)
GARGANEY Anas querquedula 白眉鸭 Báiméi yā
Passage migrant in spring (March to May, peaking in late April) and autumn (late August to October, peaking in September). Rare November to February and in June and July.
Highest count: 42 on 25 March 2006 at the Wenyu River (Wu Qi)
BAIKAL TEAL Anas formosa 花脸鸭 Huāliǎn yā
Common passage migrant at suitable sites and scarce winter visitor (September to April).
Highest count: 1,050 on 8 November 2015 at Miyun (Jan-Erik Nilsén)
EURASIAN TEAL Anas crecca 绿翅鸭 Lǜ chì yā
Very common passage migrant, with numbers peaking in April and late October-early November, winter visitor and possible occasional summer breeder.
Highest count: 1,200 on 29 September 2004 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt);
RED-CRESTED POCHARD Netta rufina 赤嘴潜鸭 Chì zuǐ qián yā
Scarce, but increasing, passage migrant in spring, peaking in April, and autumn, peaking in late September-early October. Possibly has bred at Yeyahu. Rare in winter.
Highest count: 35 on 4 October 2018 at Yeyahu (Fishing Cat/Beijing Feiyu2018)
COMMON POCHARD Aythya ferina 红头潜鸭 Hóng tóu qián yā
Common passage migrant in spring, peaking in late March and early April, and autumn, peaking in second half of October. Uncommon winter visitor. Records from all months but rare in summer.
Highest count: 1,420 on 25 March 2007 at Wild Duck Lake (Bjorn Andersson, CBR2007)
BAER’S POCHARD Aythya baeri 青头潜鸭 Qīng tóu qián yā
Scarce passage migrant in spring, with most records in March and April, and autumn, peaking in late October and early November. Rare in winter. Has over-summered, and possibly bred, at Yeyahu.
Highest count: 114 in ‘late March’ 1989 at the Summer Palace (Jesper Hornskov)
FERRUGINOUS POCHARD Aythya nyroca 白眼潜鸭 Bái yǎn qián yā
Passage migrant in spring, peaking in April, and autumn, peaking in October. Recent summer breeder at Yeyahu and elsewhere. Scarce in winter. Increasing.
Highest count: 59 on 26 April 2020 at Ma Chang (Terry Townshend, Steve Bale and Marie Louise Ng); 56 on 16 April 2022 at Yeyahu (Terry Townshend et al.)
TUFTED DUCK Aythya fuligula 凤头潜鸭 Fèng tóu qián yā
Passage migrant in spring (March and early April) and autumn, peaking in October and November. Scarce in winter. No records in June, July or August.
Highest count: 200 on 24 April 2005 at Wild Duck Lake (LHY, CBR2005)
GREATER SCAUP Aythya marila 斑背潜鸭 Bān bèi qián yā
Rare passage migrant and occasional winter visitor from October to March, exceptionally late September.
Highest count: Seven on 2 November 2018 at Yeyahu (Fishing Cat & 飞羽观鸟大年)
HARLEQUIN Histrionicus histrionicus 丑鸭 Chǒu yā
Very rare. Only one Beijing record, remarkably from an inner city location near the north 2nd ring road, from 9 February (庭草) to at least 9 April 2017 but apparently present for “at least 20 days” before. Found by Hou Jinsheng.
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER Melanitta deglandi stejnegeri 斑脸海番鸭 Bān liǎn hǎi fān yā
Rare passage migrant, not quite annual, at large water bodies such as Miyun and Guanting Reservoirs. Most records in autumn (October to early December). Very rare in spring – just one record of two on 7 May 2004 at Yuanmingyuan (CYZ in the 2004 China Bird Report).
Highest count: seven on 22 October 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt, Terry Townshend and Ben Wielstra)
LONG-TAILED DUCK Clangula hyemalis 长尾鸭 Cháng wěi yā
Rare passage migrant, primarily in late autumn, and very rare winter visitor to large water bodies (late October to late April). At least fifteen records, all since 2001.
Highest count: three on 6 December 2014 and 28 March 2015 at Shahe Reservoir (Colm Moore)
COMMON GOLDENEYE Bucephala clangula 鹊鸭 Què yā
Common passage migrant and winter visitor (October to May). No records in June, July, August or September.
Highest count: 298 on 13 November 2004 at Yeyahu (LJY in CBR2004)
SMEW Mergellus albellus 白秋沙鸭 Bái qiū shā yā
Passage migrant and winter visitor (October to May).
Highest count: 1,000 on 25 March 2007 at Wild Duck Lake (Bjorn Andersson, CBR2007)
COMMON MERGANSER Mergus merganser 普通秋沙鸭 Pǔ tōng qiū shā yā
Common passage migrant and winter visitor to reservoirs, lakes and rivers, primarily from mid-October to April, with highest numbers in the second half of the winter. Recorded in all months but scarce in May and rare June to September.
Highest counts: estimates of 1,200 (_星畔_) and 1,047 (qjxgbird) on 12 January 2021 at the Summer Palace; 1,000 on 12, 29 & 30 January 2020 and 26, 27 February 2020 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Alice168123, Niaotu and 云飞扬).
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER Mergus serrator 红胸秋沙鸭 Hóng xiōng qiū shā yā
Scarce to rare passage migrant in spring (mostly mid-March to mid-May) and autumn (October to mid-December), usually at the larger reservoirs (Huairou, Ming Tombs, Miyun, Shahe and Guanting).
Highest count: ten on 21 October 2017 at Shahe Reservoir (Chen Wenjia)
SCALY-SIDED MERGANSER Mergus squamatus 中华秋沙鸭 Zhōng huá qiū shā yā
Rare passage migrant November to April and very rare winter visitor. At least 13 Beijing records. One on 10 November 2011 at the Summer Palace (Jesper Hornskov); one, a male, on 13 December 2016 at Huairou Reservoir (Paul Holt); at least three (two males and a female) were reported as having been photographed at the Wenyu River no later than the 3rd February 2018 (Zhang Xiaoling 张小玲 in litt. to XiaoPT) and a female was recorded at the same site on 5th by Li Xiaomai (via XiaoPT); a pair photographed on the Wenyu River on 25 January 2020 with at least one still present on 9 February 2020 (see here); a female on 31 December 2020 at Tongzhou-Dayunhe Forest Park (Wang Xiaobo), a female from 10 January to 18 February 2021 at least at the Summer Palace (via Liu Aitao and Zhang Xiaoling); a female (possibly the December Tongzhou bird?) at the Wenyu River on 16 January to 14 February 2021 at least (Terry Townshend et al.); two females at Shahe Reservoir on 26 April 2021 (amal amer); one on 1 January 2022 at Yuanmingyuan; a pair at Xiyu Reservoir, Pinggu District on 9 and 10 March 2022 at least (via amal amer). In addition to the confirmed records, three ‘possibly this species’ on 8 April 2012 were at the Summer Palace (Jesper Hornskov).
Gaviidae 潜鸟科
RED-THROATED LOON (RED-THROATED DIVER) Gavia stellata 红喉潜鸟 Hóng hóu qián niǎo
Very rare. Possibly only three Beijing records. One on 22 October 1932 in Tongxian (Tongzhou), one on 12 October 1933, Tongzhou (Wilder and Hubbard, 1938 p.501) and one 22 October – 2 November 2014 at least at Miyun Reservoir (Terry Townshend et al.).
BLACK-THROATED LOON (BLACK-THROATED DIVER) Gavia arctica 黑喉潜鸟 Hēi hóu qián niǎo
Very rare passage migrant in late autumn. Possibly only six records. Most recent records: one on 12 November 2016 at Yeyahu (Terry Townshend et al.); one on 14 November 2016 at Dayunhe Forest Park, Tongzhou (via XiaoPT); one from 19 October to 4 November 2018 at least at the Summer Palace (Denis Corbeil, 管理员 et al..); one on 22 November 2020 at Shahe Reservoir (Wang Xiaobo et al.)
PACIFIC LOON (PACIFIC DIVER) Gavia pacifica 太平洋潜鸟 Tài píng yáng qián niǎo
Very rare vagrant. One record from early May 2008 at Huairou Reservoir (Paul Holt via XiaoPT). Subsequently photographed on 4 May 2008 by Zhang Yong and Wang Ruiqing.
SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER Ardenna tenuirostris 短尾鹱 Duǎn wěi hù
Very rare vagrant. Two records. One picked up exhausted at Tuancheng Lake near the Summer Palace “in early June” 2021 and taken to the Beijing Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. See here. The second was photographed at Baiwangshan on 31 May 2023 (amal amer, Tian Ke wei et al.).
Podicipedidae 鸊鷉科
LITTLE GREBE Tachybaptus ruficollis 小鸊鷉 Xiǎo pì tī
Abundant resident breeder; often congregates in large numbers in winter; race ‘poggei‘ (note pale eye compared with nominate).
Highest count: 900 on 16 January 2022 at Liangshui River (果茶2020); 500 on 17 January 2021 at Beidicun, Liangshui River (Hong Yao); 300 on 27 February 2021 at Liangshui River (仙鸫2020); 300 on 29 April 2006 at Shahe Reservoir (LHY, CBR2006)
RED-NECKED GREBE Podiceps grisegena 赤颈䴙䴘 Chì jǐng pì tī
Very rare. Possibly fewer than ten Beijing records. Two males on 8 Nov 1931 on the outskirts of Beijing (The Birds of Hopei Province Part I, p.73, 1936); October 1958 and December 1962 on Yondinghe near Yanhecheng, Mentougou District (Cai, 1987); one on 22 October 2003 at Baihepu Reservoir, Yanqing (CBR2003); two on 18 October 2008 at Yeyahu (林达京); one on 23 April 2018 at the Summer Palace (Ji Xiangyu via Chen Yan); one on 13 March to 17 April 2020 at least at the Summer Palace (first found by 冬天里的童话); one (juvenile) on 16 October 2021 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Colm Moore); one 5-9 November 2022 at least at DaShi River (Chen Yanxing et al.); one (the DaShiHe bird?) on 19 November 2022 at Lianshihu Park, Shijingshan (张家铭).
GREAT CRESTED GREBE Podiceps cristatus 凤头䴙䴘 Fèng tóu pì tī
Very common summer breeder, passage migrant and scarce winter visitor
Highest count: 200 on 6 April 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (nknemo)
SLAVONIAN (HORNED) GREBE Podiceps auritus 角䴙䴘 Jiǎo pì tī
Rare passage migrant in spring and autumn (10-20 records in total), with most records in autumn, usually at reservoirs such as Huairou, Miyun and Guanting but records also from the Summer Palace and Nanhaizi. The majority of records in the period mid-October to mid-November.
Highest counts: four on 5 November 2017 at Yeyahu (逸少); four on 27 October 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Chen Liang)
BLACK-NECKED GREBE Podiceps nigricollis 黑颈鸊鷉 Hēi jǐng pì tī
Passage migrant, more common in autumn than spring. Spring migration is from late March to May (peaking in April) and in autumn, primarily from October to December, with most records from mid-October to mid-November, mostly on the larger reservoirs such as Miyun, Guanting, Huairou and Shahe. Rare outside these windows.
Highest count: 49 on 22 April 2023 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (黄非红、戴少华); 32 on 12 October 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt and Terry Townshend)
Phoenicopteridae 红鹳科
GREATER FLAMINGO Phoenicopterus roseus 大红鹳 Dà hóng guàn
Very rare vagrant. Only one record: a first-winter photographed along the Wenyu River on 6 December 2015 (Mu Guilin) remained until at least the 15th of that month. What was presumably the same bird was seen at Shahe on 10th December (Li Boyang) and photographed at Nanhaizi, Daxing sometime during the 17-23 December (lixing via China Bird Watch and tomatofamily2 via China Bird Watch) before returning to Shahe on the 30 December (Colm Moore).
Ciconiidae 鹳科
BLACK STORK Ciconia nigra 黑鹳 Hēi guàn
Breeds in mountainous areas with rivers/streams in north and west Beijing; also a passage migrant and winter visitor. Recorded in all months. Shidu in Fangshan District is one of the most reliable areas.
Highest count: 30 on 1 October 2004 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt)
ORIENTAL STORK Ciconia boyciana 东方白鹳 Dōng fāng bái guàn
Now almost annual passage migrant in small numbers and increasing. Only five records up to 2000 but at least 20 since then. Now breeds in Tianjin and a possible future breeder in Beijing. Recorded in all months. Most likely to be encountered in spring with March and April hosting the highest percentage of records. Autumn records from late August to December.
Highest count: 14 in January 1999 on a flooded area of the ChaoBai River, Shunyi District (Qian Fawen in litt 1999)
Threskiornithdae 鹮科
CRESTED IBIS Nipponia nippon 朱鹮 Zhū huán
Historical. Two ‘collected’ in Beijing in 1867 (Oustalet 1872). There is uncertainty as to whether the collection site is within the current boundaries of Beijing.
GLOSSY IBIS Plegadis falcinellus 彩鹮 Cǎi huán
Very rare vagrant. One record (awaiting details).
EURASIAN SPOONBILL Platalea leucorodia 白琵鹭 Bái pí lù
Passage migrant in Beijing with most records in spring (mid-March to May); less common in autumn (October) and occasional summer records, usually relating to immatures. Rare in winter.
Highest count: 70 on 29 April 2019 at Cuihu Wetland Park (Hou Xiaoru)
BLACK-FACED SPOONBILL Platalea minor 黑脸琵鹭 Hēi liǎn pí lù
Very rare vagrant. Possibly only three records: one on 5 May 1924 at HouMen, near Drum Tower (Wilder & Hubbard 1924, Journal of North China British Royal Asiatic Society, LV p.211); and one photographed at Bulaotun, Miyun Reservoir on 11 June 2017 by Zhang Weimin was the first photo-documented record for Beijing (apparently present since 7 May 2017); one along the Guishui River, Yanqing on 23 August 2022 (北京市河湖鸟类自动监测站).
Ardeidae 鹭科
GREAT BITTERN Botaurus stellaris 大麻鳽 Dà má-yán
Mostly a passage migrant in spring (late March to May) and autumn (late August- November). Possibly has bred and most years a few stragglers overwinter, especially in city parks (e.g. Olympic Forest Park). Recorded in every month.
Highest count: seven on 23 March 2021 at Yeyahu (XiaoPT, 大牙齿 458); five on 4 November 2017 at Yeyahu (Liu Chunhong)
YELLOW BITTERN Ixobrychus sinensis 黄苇鳽 Huáng wěi jiān
Summer breeder and passage migrant (second half of May to September, rarely October and exceptionally November).
Highest counts: 20 on 30 June 2011 at the Olympic Forest Park (Gina Sheridan); 20 on 27 June 2004 at Bahe Wetland, Chaoyang (RKY in CBR2004)
VON SCHRENCK’S BITTERN Ixobrychus eurhythmus 紫背苇鳽 Zǐ bèi wěi jiān
Scarce summer breeder and passage migrant (late May to September); has bred at Yeyahu and, more unusually, in the grounds of the Agricultural Exhibition Center in 2017.
Highest count: three on 12 August 2019 at Chaoyang Park (Stefan Andrew)
CINNAMON BITTERN Ixobrychus cinnamomeus 栗苇鳽 Lì wěi jiān
Rare summer visitor, primarily from late May to August.
Highest count: three on 11 and 15 July 2017 at China Agricultural Museum (Zhen Niu and _星畔_)
BLACK BITTERN Dupetor flavicollis 黑鳽 Hēi yán
Possibly only three records. One on the late date of 25 November 2011 at Yeyahu (Terry Townshend, Jesper Hornskov and Phil Benstead); one on 20-27 September 2014 at least at Nukouyu in Fangshan District (via Zhang Weimin); and one on 13 May 2021 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Colm Moore).
MALAYAN NIGHT HERON Gorsachius melanolophus 黑冠鳽 Hēi guān jiān
Very rare vagrant. Only one record: one photographed on 19 May 2023 at the Forbidden City, Dongcheng District (朱楷).
JAPANESE NIGHT HERON Gorsachius goisagi 栗鳽 Lì yán
Very rare vagrant. Only one record: one on 25 May 2014 in the Temple of Heaven Park.
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON Nycticorax nycticorax 夜鹭 Yè lù
Common breeder and passage migrant, and and much less common but increasing in winter. Numbers peak from April to September, after which numbers drop. Winters in reasonable numbers in Beijing’s larger parks, for example Beijing Zoo, but relatively scarce in this season away from traditional wintering sites.
Highest count: 310 on 18 April 2015 at Shahe Reservoir (Lusen and 七彩文鸟 via Birdreport.cn).
STRIATED HERON Butorides striata 绿鹭 Lǜ lù
Scarce breeder and passage migrant (April to September); most often seen along mountain streams/rivers.
Highest count: 13 on 15 June 2018 at University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huairou (Gua Ku)
CHINESE POND HERON Ardeola bacchus 池鹭 Chí lù
Common summer breeder (primarily April to September), occasionally October and stragglers into November. Rare in winter (three December and four January records up to January 2023).
Highest count: 80 on 7 May 2006 at Baiwangshan (HD, CBR2006)
EASTERN CATTLE EGRET Bubulcus coromandus 牛背鹭 Niú bèi lù
Passage migrant and possible breeder (mid-April to October). Very rare in November (just one record).
Highest count: 50 on 14 May 2011 at the Summer Palace (Richard Knapton); 50 on 3 May 2006 at Baiwangshan (HD, CBR2006)
GREY HERON Ardea cinerea 苍鹭 Cāng lù
Common breeder, passage migrant and winter visitor in lower numbers. Breeds alongside Purple Heron in reed beds at Yeyahu and on cliffs at Shidu, Fangshan District.
Highest count: 500 on 1 April 2019 at Shahe Reservoir (Zhen Niu); 500 on 24 March 2019 at Shahe Reservoir (panxiaoji)
PURPLE HERON Ardea purpurea 草鹭 Cǎo lù
Local summer breeder and passage migrant from late March to September, with late migrants into October. Very rare November to mid-March. Best site Yeyahu, where it breeds colonially in reed beds alongside Grey Heron.
Highest count: 58 on 17 April 2018 at Yeyahu (Paul Holt)
EASTERN GREAT EGRET Ardea modesta 大白鹭 Dà bái lù
Common summer breeder and passage migrant. Uncommon but increasing in winter.
Highest count: 86 on 8 August 2022 at the Wenyu River (Terry Townshend); 70 on 1 September 2019 at Huairou Reservoir (XiaoPT)
INTERMEDIATE EGRET Mesophoyx intermedia 中白鹭 Zhōng bái lù
Scarce non-breeding visitor, primarily May to September, with most records in late summer, presumably post-breeding/failed breeding dispersals.
Highest counts: 50 on 30 April 2006 at Baiwangshan (HD, CBR2006); 13 on 18 October 2018 at Ma Chang (毛毛淘淘).
LITTLE EGRET Egretta garzetta 白鹭 Bái lù
Common breeder and passage migrant; recorded in all months but fairly scarce from the second half of November to the end of February.
Highest counts: 200 on 20 August 2016 at Shahe Reservoir (何文喵); 130 on 26 August 2017 at Shahe Reservoir (何文喵).
Pelecanidae 鹈鹕科
GREAT WHITE PELICAN Pelecanus onocrotalus 白鹈鹕 Bái tí hú
Very rare vagrant. Possibly only five records: one at Miyun Reservoir in October-November 2009 (per Paul Holt); one on 16 April 2011 at Ma Chang (Terry Townshend and Jesper Hornskov); one on 11 July 2014 at Daxing (Zhong Zhenyu); one 5-27 October 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Terry Townshend et al.); and one at Shahe Reservoir on 24 July 2021 (Wang Qihan et al.)
DALMATIAN PELICAN Pelecanus crispus 卷羽鹈鹕 Juǎn yǔ tí hú
Rare passage migrant in spring and autumn (most records in April) at the larger reservoirs (Miyun, Guanting, Shahe etc).
Highest count: three on 24 April 2005 at Wild Duck Lake (LHY, CBR2005)
Fregatidae 军舰鸟科
LESSER FRIGATEBIRD Fregata ariel 白斑军舰鸟 Bái bān jūn jiàn niǎo
Rare vagrant. Possibly only seven records (some records missing): one on 14 April 2007 at Shahe Reservoir (HWP, CBR2007) was the first record for Beijing; one at Miyun Reservoir 20-29 August 2014 (Fu Jianping et al.); one on 28 April 2017 at Shahe Reservoir (小青鸟-北京市); one on 1 May 2018 at Yeyahu (Pan Wenxin et al..); one at Yeyahu, 30 August 2019 (Paul Holt et al.); and presumably the same on 31st at Shahe Reservoir (Ashy-Mimivet and pksunking et al.).
Phalacrocoracidae 鸬鹚科
GREAT CORMORANT Phalacrocorax carbo 普通鸬鹚 Pǔtōng lú cí
Very common passage migrant in spring from late February (peaking March and early April) and in autumn (August to November), with the highest counts in spring; recorded in all months. Formerly rather scarce in summer (June, July) and in mid-winter when most fresh water has frozen (late December, January and early February). However, the species seems to be steadily increasing. Breeding was confirmed at Miyun Reservoir in 2021, and there was a count of 200 at Bulaotun, Miyun on 30 June 2022 (Jun Shuai).
Highest counts: 2,000 on 20 March 2021 at Taishitun (Zhen Niu); 1,400 on 5 April 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Jan-Erik Nilsén); 1,300 on 31 March 2019 at Shahe Reservoir (稻草大魔王); 1,000 on 22 March 2020 at Miyun Reservoir (健 宋 et al.)
JAPANESE CORMORANT Phalacrocorax capillatus 暗绿背鸬鹚 Àn lǜ bèi lú cí
On the official Beijing list from two historical records. No recent records possibly due, at least in part, to the difficulty of certain identification. This species is common in Liaoning, but highly coastal. It is possible it reaches Beijing on occasion. Two historical records: on 5 April 1932, Professor Hu C.H. of the Department of Pathology, former Peiping United Hospital, took a specimen in the waters around Beijing; on 6 March 1935, Kuomintang general He Yingqin collected a male bird at the Kunming Lake in the Summer Palace in Beijing, weighing 2,500 grams (Shou Zhenhuang [Shaw], 1936, The Birds of Hopei Province Part. I, p. 88-89).
Pandionidae 鹗科
OSPREY Pandion haliaetus 鹗 È
Passage migrant in spring (late March to mid-May) and autumn (late August to early October). Rare in summer. Best sites are reservoirs, such as Shahe, Ming Tombs, Guanting and Miyun.
Highest count: 20+ on 18 April 2020 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Liu Aitao); 17 on 12 April 2015 at Shahe (Colm Moore); 17 on 16 April 2016 at Shahe (Colm Moore)
Accipitridae 鹰科
BLACK-WINGED KITE Elanus caeruleus 黑翅鸢 Hēi chì yuān
Formerly rare, now scarce and increasing passage migrant and breeder. Most records in spring (late March to May) and autumn (late August to mid-November). Rare in winter. First recorded as recently as 9 April 2007 at Yeyahu (Diane Holsinger).
Highest count: four together, presumably the local breeding pair with fledged young, on 27 August 2023 at the Wenyu River (Terry Townshend et al.); two on 28 March 2021 at Taishitun, Miyun (通州大好); two on 8 October 2020 at the Wenyu River, Shunyi (Terry Townshend and Wu Lan); two on 14 September 2019 at Ma Chang, Yanqing (Liu Chunhong et al.)
LAMMERGEIER (BEARDED VULTURE) Gypaetus barbatus 胡兀鹫 Hú wù jiù
Very rare. Five records: one in February 2008 at Shidu, Fangshan District (Wang Qin); one (juvenile) at Lingshan on 12 December 2016 (Paul Holt and Terry Townshend); and one (also a juvenile) on 14 December 2021 at Yanhecheng (Guan Xueyan), seen on and off into March 2022; a juvenile (2cy) was photographed on 2 January 2023 in Fangshan District (戴先生), presumably the same was seen on 8 February 2023 at Yanhecun, Mentougou District (Fender先生) and remained in the area until the end of the month at least; one 2cy at Ming Tombs Reservoir on 3 April 2023 (Colm Moore).
December 2021: Given the expanding population in Mongolia due to an increase in cattle husbandry (per Nyambayar Batbayar, Wildlife Science and Conservation Center), this is the most likely origin of individuals in Beijing and one might expect more records in the future.
CRESTED (ORIENTAL) HONEY BUZZARD Pernis ptilorhynchus 凤头蜂鹰 Fèng tóu fēng yīng
Passage migrant in spring (late April to early June, peaking in mid-May) and autumn (late August to October, peaking in mid-September) and occasional summer records in the mountains. Best sites are traditional raptor watchpoints such as Baiwangshan but can be recorded over the city centre.
Highest count: 3,702 at Baiwangshan on 13 May 2023 (Friends of Nature); 2,098 recorded from Baiwangshan on 11 May 2015 (Beijing Birdwatching Society)
BLACK BAZA Aviceda leuphotes 黑冠鹃隼 Hēi guān juān sǔn
Very rare overshooting vagrant. Only one record: one photographed soaring over the Olympic Forest Park on 26 May 2023 (张辉)
HIMALAYAN VULTURE Gyps himalayensis 高山兀鹫 Gāo shān wù jiù
Very rare vagrant. Possibly only four records; one in 2010 (date unknown) at Yeyahu (Brian Jones); one on 15 May 2016 at Baiwangshan (Zhang Peng); one 2cy on 21 June 2020 at Baihuashan (Li Siqi et al.); one at Miaofengshan on 1 June 2022 (昱昊 Hausys and 云天)
CINEREOUS VULTURE Aegypius monachus 秃鹫 Tū jiù
Winter (late October to early April) visitor to the mountains around Beijing. Scarce away from Mentougou District. Rare in May and only one June record: 4 June 2019 at Lingshan (Steve Bale)
Highest count: 33 on 16 November 2022 at Xinzhuang Bridge, Miyun (amal amer and 大牙齿 458); 30 on 3 December 2016 at Shidu (白尾 海雕, 七彩文鸟)
CRESTED SERPENT EAGLE Spilornis cheela 蛇雕 Shé diāo
Very rare. Possibly only five records, all from the raptor watchpoint at Baiwangshan. One on 13 May 2011 (Sun Chi and Huang Wei), one on 28 April 2013 (Friends of Nature); one on 21 May 2013 (Friends of Nature); one on 9 May 2021 (王艺蓉、白涛); and one on 23 May 2022 (王文龙).
SHORT-TOED SNAKE EAGLE Circaetus gallicus 短趾雕 Duǎn zhǐ diāo
Scarce passage migrant in spring (late March to May) and autumn (late August to early October). Has over-summered and possibly bred in the mountains in the north of Beijing.
Highest count: five at Miyun Reservoir on 26 August 2015 (Paul Holt and Terry Townshend)
GREATER SPOTTED EAGLE Aquila clanga 乌雕 Wū diāo
Regular passage migrant in spring (late March to May) and autumn (late September to October); occasional in June.
Highest count: 27 on 25 October 2010 at the ridge above the Botanical Gardens (Jesper Hornskov)
BOOTED EAGLE Hieraaetus pennatus 靴隼雕 Xuē sǔn diāo
Scarce passage migrant in Spring (late March to mid-May) and autumn (late August to early October). Most records have been of pale morph birds in April but dark morph birds have occurred.
Highest count: four on 18 April 2017 at Bawangshan (小青鸟-北京市, Fishing Cat).
STEPPE EAGLE Aquila nipalensis 草原雕 Cǎo yuán diāo
Rare passage migrant/vagrant, with most records relating to juvenile birds in autumn. An exceptional summer record of one on 16 June 2020 at Baihuashan (Xiao Hong)
Highest count: two on 15 November 2019 at Lingshan (XiaoPT); two on 2 October 2016 at Yeyahu (_星畔_)
EASTERN IMPERIAL EAGLE Aquila heliaca 白肩雕 Bái jiān diāo
Rare vagrant. Recent records include an immature on 25 March 2011 at Yeyahu (Terry Townshend and Spike Millington); a 2cy on 12 April 2013 at Baiwangshan (Tong Mu); one immature at Ma Chang (Jesper Hornskov, Terry Townshend et al.) the same day; one on 2 May 2014 at Baiwangshan (Zhao Min et al.); one on 19 September 2015 at Shahe (Colm Moore); one on 18 October 2020 at Baiwangshan (baitou2002); one on 15 October 2021 at Baiwangshan (sunfulai and atz088); one on 17 February at Beijing Wildlife Park, Daxing (Chen Siqi); one 2cy on 20 March 2022 at Yanhecheng (Chen Yanxin); one on 12 October 2022 at the Olympic Forest Park (蔡燚); one on 7 November 2022 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (via 宋健 WeChat name); one on 29 April 2023 at Baiwangshan (Zhongyu Wang et al.)
GOLDEN EAGLE Aquila chrysaetos 金雕 Jīn diāo
Scarce resident breeder in the mountainous areas of Beijing, particularly Mentougou District and Miyun and Yanqing Counties.
Highest count: five on 13 January 2018 at Yanhecheng (Niao Pan)
BONELLI’S EAGLE Aquila fasciata 白腹隼雕 Bái fù sǔn diāo
Very rare vagrant. Only five records, two of which are historical: one, “a female collected on September 22, 1935, in the Western Hills weighed 1,970 grams”; the other was “J. Delacour, during his visit to the old capital, noticed this bird in a taxidermist shop in Peiping, and it was recorded in the China Journal by Wilder (1928, p. 85).” Shaw said “This bird seems to be rare.” The only modern records are one on 25 May 2010 at the Baihe Valley (Bo Peterson), one (an adult or near-adult) was seen on the “Beijing side of Wulingshan” on 27 or 28 May 2012 (Zhang Lin) and one (probable 2cy) on 4 April 2021 at Baiwangshan (一缕清风, Zhou Chun, Bu Xinchen et al.)
CRESTED GOSHAWK Accipiter trivirgatus 凤头鹰 Fèng tóu yīng
Formerly rare and probably overlooked, now scarce overshooting visitor to Beijing. At least fourteen recent records: on 10 March 2017 near Baiwangshan, photographed by Li Boyang and Liu Ziang; one on 19 April 2017 at DongGaoDi, Fengtai District (迪迪); one on 2 October 2020 at Baiwangshan (Kevin 盛); one on 17 October 2020 also at Baiwangshan (Ashy-Mimivet); another at Baiwangshan on 29 March 2021 (黑眼豆豆 et al.); one on 31 March 2022 at Baiwangshan (Bu Xinchen et al.); one on 23 April 2022 at Baiwangshan (Ge Mengshuai et al.); one on 11 May 2022 at Baiwangshan (amal amer et al.); one on 24 August 2022 photographed at the Olympic Forest Park (蔡燚); one on 24 September 2022 at Baiwangshan (孟令旸、曹硕); one on 6 October 2022 at Baiwangshan (Jiahua Xing); one on 16 October 2022 at Baiwangshan (Jiaying Fan et al.); one on 19 October 2022 (amal amer, DaMao et al.); one on 1 April 2023 at Baiwangshan (Ge Mengshuai et al.); one on 18 April 2023 at Baiwangshan (叶文); one on 30 April 2023 at Pinggu
CHINESE SPARROWHAWK Accipiter soloensis 赤腹鹰 Chìfù yīng
Scarce passage migrant and local breeder, primarily in mountainous areas with rivers (May to early October).
Highest counts: 11 on 11 May 2015 at Baiwangshan (Wang Yan); 11 on 12 May 2015 at Baiwangshan (猛进侠)
JAPANESE SPARROWHAWK Accipiter gularis 日本松雀鹰 Rì běn sōng què yīng
Passage migrant in spring (mid-April to mid-May) and autumn (late August to October). Stragglers into November. Rare in summer.
Highest counts: 49 on 11 May 2022 at Baiwangshan (Liu Aitao, 大牙齿 458 et al.); 46 on 8 May 2015 at Baiwangshan (雨燕); 34 on 5 May 2015 at Baiwangshan (海南观鸟会, 雨燕); 32 on 12 May 2015 at Baiwangshan (海南观鸟会, 雨燕).
BESRA Accipiter virgatus 松雀鹰 Sōng què yīng
Rare vagrant. At least six records: one on 30 March 2015 at Xiaolongmen (老丢); one on 23 April 2016 at Baiwangshan (Du Songhan et al.); one on 13 April 2021 at Baiwangshan (amal amer et al.); one the next day, 14 April 2021, at the same site (atz088); one on 31 August 2021 at Changping City Riverside Forest Park (amal amer et al.); one on 11 May 2022 at Baiwangshan (大牙齿 458 et al.); one on 3 May 2023 at the Olympic Forest Park (David).
EURASIAN SPARROWHAWK Accipiter nisus 雀鹰 Què yīng
Primarily a passage migrant, peaking in April and early October, and winter visitor but recorded in all months of the year. Scarce in summer (June, July and August) but possibly breeds locally.
Highest counts: 82 on 30 September 2020 at Xin Wangjinglou (Anonymous); 57 on 12 October 2014 at Baiwangshan (盎然子); 44 on 12 September 2018 at Baiwangshan (SEE大年); 43 on 26 April 2013 at Baiwangshan (Tong Mu)
NORTHERN GOSHAWK Accipiter gentilis 苍鹰 Cāng yīng
Scarce passage migrant in spring (March-April) and autumn (late September to November) and winter visitor. Rare from May to mid-September.
Highest counts: 22 on 1 October 2015 at Baiwangshan (Liu Zhiheng); 16 on 12 October 2014 at Baiwangshan (盎然子)
WESTERN MARSH HARRIER Circus aeruginosus 白头鹞 Bái tóu yào
Several claims but no confirmed records. Status possibly clouded by difficulty of separation from Eastern Marsh Harrier. One juvenile marsh harrier photographed at Bulaotun, Miyun Reservoir on 2 September 2017 (Jing Xin) was a good candidate.
EASTERN MARSH HARRIER Circus spilonotus 白腹鹞 Bái fù yào
Local summer breeder and passage migrant in Spring (late March to May) and autumn (late August to early November). Breeds at Yeyahu.
Highest count: 19 at Shahe Reservoir on 16 April 2016 (Colm Moore)
HEN HARRIER Circus cyaneus 白尾鹞 Bái wěi yào
Winter visitor and passage migrant. Most records from the second half of September to April, with a peak in late October and early November. However, has been recorded in every month except July.
Highest count: 50 on 1 November 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (朔风)
PALLID HARRIER Circus macrourus 草原鹞 Cǎo yuán yào
Very rare. Two records: one collected by Père David; also, one adult male on the afternoon of 24 October 2010 flew SW at the tower near Guanting Reservoir, Yeyahu (Jan-Erik Nilsén)
PIED HARRIER Circus melanoleucos 鹊鹞 Què yào
Passage migrant in Spring (mid-April to May) and autumn (late August to early October).
Highest count: seven on 11 May 2015 at Baiwangshan (朔风).
MONTAGU’S HARRIER Circus pygargus 乌灰鹞 Wū huī yào
Very rare. No modern-day records [need details of historical record(s)]
BLACK KITE Milvus migrans lineatus 黑鸢 Hēi yuān
Formerly bred. Now a declining passage migrant in spring (late March to early May) and autumn (late August to early October). Rare in June and July and very rare in winter. Two historical winter records from 19 and 28 February 1960 when it was much more common.
Highest count: 700 reported on 9 April 2022 from Yeyahu Wetland Reserve (Ye Xingcha); 110 on 2 April 2018 at Shisanling (Colm Moore and Zhao Qi)
BRAHMINY KITE Haliastur indus 栗鸢 Lì yuān
Very rare vagrant. Only one record: a juvenile photographed at Bulaotun, Miyun District, on 10 July 2022 (宋荧荧等).
PALLAS’S FISH EAGLE Haliaeetus leucoryphus 玉带海雕 Yù dài hǎi diāo
Very rare. Unconfirmed and undated report(s) from Beijing (Wilder in Thomas 1978). Only one modern-day record, a bird “for several days” at Yeyahu Wetland Reserve in early June 2016, photographed by local warden, Fang Chun, on 7th. An unidentified eagle, possibly the same individual, was seen on 1 June at the same site whilst tagging Common Cuckoos (Chris Hewson, Dick Newell, Lyndon Kearsley and Terry Townshend).
WHITE-TAILED EAGLE Haliaeetus albicilla 白尾海雕 Bái wěi hǎi diāo
Scarce winter visitor, mostly to large water bodies such as reservoirs between late October and March, with most records January to March. Most are immatures.
Highest counts: eight on 26 February 2020 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (山色空蒙); seven on 26 February 2020 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (簌簌的雪); seven on 23 February 2020 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Steve Bale and Terry Townshend); seven on 23 December 2006 at Miyun Reservoir (GJJ)
STELLER’S SEA EAGLE Haliaeetus pelagicus 虎头海鵰 Hǔ tóu hǎi diāo
Possibly a very rare vagrant. One historic record which may or may not have been in what is now modern-day Beijing: Père David writes in ‘Les Oiseaux de la Chine’ that he “once met with this eagle in Chihli [modern day Beijing and Hebei Province], in the Peking district, at very close quarters at the end of a severe winter” (La Touche 1925–1934). This is presumably the source of the record in “Hebei Province” by Père David in Cheng Tso-hsin (1987). Given the difference between historical and modern boundaries, it is unclear whether this record was from within the boundaries of modern day Beijing.
GREY-FACED BUZZARD Butastur indicus 灰脸鵟鹰 Huī liǎn kuáng yīng
Passage migrant and local breeder in the mountains (late March to early October). Baiwangshan is the most reliable site.
Highest count: 150 on 2 October 2005 at Baiwangshan (HD, CBR2005); 100 on 7 October 2021 at Baiwangshan (Oriental Stork)
ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD Buteo lagopus 毛脚鵟 Máo jiǎo kuáng
Rare irruptive winter visitor (mid-October to March) in varying numbers, not quite annual.
Highest counts: ten on 12 December 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (Wang Yan); ten on 13 December 2015 (猛进侠)
UPLAND BUZZARD Buteo hemilasius 大鵟 Dà kuáng
Scarce passage migrant and winter visitor, primarily mid-October to early April. Declining.
Highest count: 21 on 6 December 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (白尾 海雕); 20 on 1 November 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (朔风)
EASTERN BUZZARD Buteo japonicus 普通鵟 Pǔ tōng kuáng
Very common passage migrant and scarce winter visitor (September to May). Rare in summer.
Highest counts: 540 on 5 April 2023 at Baiwangshan (ziming yan et al.); 300 on 5 April 2022 at Baiwangshan (正暘 周); 290 on 23 March 2023 at Baiwangshan (amal amer et al.); 235 on 31 March 2021 at Baiwangshan (Zhao Xiaojian); 200 on 31 March 2022 at Cuihu Wetland (ccmm1); 200 on 6 October 2019 at Baiwangshan (pksunking); 200 on 3 October 2018 at Mentougou District (caihua0314); 182 on 12 October 2014 at Baiwangshan (盎然子); 180 on 25 March 2021 at Biwangshan (atz088); 172 on 29 March 2013 at Baiwangshan (Tong Mu)
COMMON (STEPPE) BUZZARD Buteo buteo vulpinus 欧亚鵟 Ōu yà kuáng
No confirmed records. One showing some characteristics of vulpinus wintered along the Wenyu River in 2020/2021 but was thought to be most likely a bird of mixed genes. See here. Also, see a candidate here photographed by Tong Mu on 15 March 2013 at Baiwangshan.
Falconidae 隼科
LESSER KESTREL Falco naumanni 黄爪隼 Huáng zhǎo sǔn
Scarce passage migrant, with most records in spring (late March to early May). Rare in autumn (mid-September to late October). Sometimes associates with Amur Falcons. Former breeder.
Highest count: seven on 29 March 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Terry Townshend et al.)
COMMON KESTREL Falco tinnunculus 红隼 Hóng sǔn
Common resident breeder with a modest number of additional birds seen on passage in April and May and again in September and October.
Highest count: 20 on 9 May 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (Fishing Cat)
AMUR FALCON Falco amurensis 红脚隼 Hóng jiǎo sǔn
Common passage migrant in spring (peaking second half of April) and autumn (peaking in the second half of September), and local breeder.
Highest count: 520 on 17 September 2017 in maize fields near Ma Chang (Paul Holt)
MERLIN Falco columbarius 灰背隼 Huī bèi sǔn
Scarce winter visitor from October to April, exceptionally May and September.
Highest counts: four on 13 October 2018 at Ma Chang (BejingFeiyu2018); four on 2 November 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Yan Shen)
EURASIAN HOBBY Falco subbuteo 燕隼 Yàn sǔn
Summer breeder and passage migrant (mid-April to October). Rare before mid-April and scarce after the first week of October, but several unconfirmed reports from November.
Highest counts: 16 on 24 May 2020 at Fragrant Hills (Li Xuejun); 16 on 17 September 2016 at Bawangshan (何文喵).
SAKER FALCON Falco cherrug 猎隼 Liè sǔn
Uncommon and possibly declining. Recorded in every month except July but most in spring (March-May) and autumn (September-October) with a few in winter. Recent records from June and August likely to relate to wandering immature birds rather than breeders.
Highest count: five on 19 October 2013 at Miyun Reservoir (Jan-Erik Nilsén, Per Alström and “LM”)
PEREGRINE FALCON Falco peregrinus 游隼 Yóu sǔn
Uncommon resident and passage migrant. Increasing. Recorded in every month of the year. Breeds in small numbers, including in Yanqing County, and migrants/post-breeding dispersals of the southern race, peregrinator, have been recorded in autumn. Sometimes seen hunting feral pigeons in the city centre.
Highest count: ten on 1 September 2018 at Fragrant Hills (Jenny Fang et al.)
Otididae 鸨科
GREAT BUSTARD Otis tarda 大鸨 Dà bǎo
Scarce passage migrant in spring (March-April) and autumn (October-November) and rare, but annual, winter visitor.
Highest count: 21 on 25 November 2005 at Wild Duck Lake (Bjorn Andersson); 14 on 15 April 2017 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Colm Moore)
Rallidae 秧鸡科
SWINHOE’S RAIL Coturnicops exquisitus 花田鸡 Huā tián jī
Rare passage migrant. At least eight records, all since 2014. Most in autumn (September-October). Only two in spring: a singing bird on 15 April 2019 at Ma Chang (Terry Townshend) and one accidentally flushed on 30 April 2023 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Colm Moore).
SLATY-BREASTED RAIL Lewinia striata 蓝胸秧鸡 Lán xiōng yāng jī
Very rare. One on 25 May 2000 at Beijing Capital International Airport (Prof. Zhao Xinru); one on 7 June 2018 in the Olympic Forest Park (Lou Fangzhou).
WESTERN WATER RAIL Rallus aquaticus 西方秧鸡 Xī fāng yāng jī
Rare but possibly overlooked winter visitor. At least nine records: one on 20 December 2011 until February 2012 at least in the Olympic Forest Park (found by Yang Yuejang and identified by Jesper Hornskov); one at the eastern end of Shahe Reservoir from 26 January to 11 February 2020 at least (Dahe@Beijing et al.); one on 1 January 2021 at Shahe Reservoir (麦克曹), staying until 7 March 2021 at least; one on 17 February 2021 at Huisha River (Zheng Qiuyang and Yan Shen); one on 7 January 2022 at Shahe Reservoir (Jun Shuai), remaining into March 2022, with three reported at the same site on 24 February 2022 by the same observer; one on 11 March 2022 at the Huaijiu River, Huairou (景秀); one on 12 November 2022 at DaShiHe (季实、赵晖、娄方洲等); one from 7 December 2022 at least at Yuanmingyuan (Wolstame et al.) and at least one in late December 2022/early January 2023 at the Olympic Forest Park (Qiuhan Zhang et al.).
BROWN-CHEEKED RAIL Rallus indicus 普通秧鸡 Pǔ tōng yāng jī
Unobtrusive but probably not uncommon. Passage migrant, winter visitor and possible breeder. Recorded in all months but few records June to September.
Highest count: 11 on 17 April 2018 at Yeyahu (Paul Holt)
WHITE-BREASTED WATERHEN Amaurornis phoenicurus 白胸苦恶鸟 Bái xiōng kǔ è niǎo
Scarce but increasing summer migrant from mid-April to October, and probably now a regular breeder. Proof of breeding from 2003 (CBR2003) and 2021 (image of an adult with two fledged young taken on 26 July 2021 in the Olympic Forest Park by 仙颏). Surprisingly, a handful of winter records too, including a long-staying individual from 23 December 2017 to 7 January 2018 at Peking University (Chen Xier et al.).
Highest count: three on 13 June 2015, 26 April 2016 and 12 June 2016, all at Shahe Reservoir (Colm Moore)
BAILLON’S CRAKE Porzana pusilla 小田鸡 Xiǎo tián jī
Scarce passage migrant in spring (May-June) and autumn (late August to early October) and possible breeder.
Highest count: three on 3 October 2013 at Olympic Forest Park (Inna P Smith) and three on 8 May 2015 at Yeyahu (Terry Townshend)
RUDDY-BREASTED CRAKE Porzana fusca 红胸田鸡 Hóng xiōng tián jī
Passage migrant and summer breeder from second half of May to September.
Highest count: ten on 3 June 2002 at the Summer Palace (Jan Smith)
BAND-BELLIED CRAKE Porzana paykullii 斑胁田鸡 Bān xié tián jī
Very rare passage migrant. One on 5 September 2018 in Shunyi (Terry Townshend); one on 10 September 2022 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Jiaqi Li) [other records?]
WATERCOCK Gallicrex cinerea 董鸡 Dǒng jī
Scarce and declining spring passage migrant (and former breeder?).
Highest count: four (three males and a female) on 27 June 2009 at the Wenyu River (Brian Ivon Jones)
COMMON MOORHEN Gallinula chloropus 黑水鸡 Hēi shuǐ jī
Common and widespread resident breeder, passage migrant and increasingly a common winter visitor.
Highest count: 400 on 29 May 2005 and 25 September 2005 at Shahe Reservoir (WJ via CBR2005)
COMMON COOT Fulica atra 骨顶鸡 Gǔ dǐng jī
Common breeder, passage migrant and winter visitor. Increasing.
Highest count: 2,500 on 8 October 2022 at Qinglong Lake Park, Fangshan (Andrew Morrissey, Dave Nguyen and William Marsden)
Gruidae 鹤科
SIBERIAN CRANE Grus leucogeranus 白鹤 Bái hè
Rare passage migrant, mostly in mid-March-April but also November. At least twelve records, including: a second calendar year from 19-31 March 2009 at Wild Duck Lake (Jesper Hornskov et al.); three, a family party with two adults and a first year on 19 March 2012 at Miyun reservoir (Paul Holt and Terry Townshend) increasing to eight there on the 25 March (奈何, 朱磊, 付建平, 计云, 吴劲松 via BirdTalker), before decreasing back to three (two adults & one immature) on the 1 April (Jan-Erik Nilsén). These three were seen again on the 3 April with the immature lingering until the 22 April (Terry Townshend & Ben Wielstra); one from 11-16 March 2013 at Miyun Reservoir (天天 云起 via BirdTalker et al.); an adult and an immature on 27 March 2013 at Wild Duck Lake (An Yi); 18 (15 adults and three 2cy) on 24 March 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt); one on 27 November 2017 at Guanting Reservoir (Xu Liang); one satellite-tracked, but not seen, flying over the city on 14 March 2021 probably roosted at Miyun Reservoir (Zhou Haoxiang via Liu Yang); at least seven on 13 March 2022 at Miyun (Wang Shujun, Lou Fangzhou, Wei Zichen, Wang Xiaoyan and Liu Aitao) with 2 remaining until 24 March at least; a flock of 33 flew over Shahe Reservoir at around 5pm on 29 March 2022 (Ping Zhang); seven over Baiwangshan on 1 April 2023 (张润超、刘振宁、Miles等); two on 5 April 2023 at Miyun Reservoir (王鋆、邱小溪、王晔等); four at Shahe Reservoir on 11 May 2023 (曹硕); one (immature) on 13 May 2023 at Yeyahu (Tian Li).
SANDHILL CRANE Grus canadensis 沙丘鹤 Shā qiū hè
Very rare vagrant. Three records: one on 8 December 2013 to 22 January 2014 at least at Miyun Reservoir (Zhu Lei, Lei Ming et al.); one at Miyun Reservoir on 7 March 2021 (Miyun Reservoir survey); and one at Ma Chang on 26 November 2022 (unknown observer via Lou Fangzhou).
WHITE-NAPED CRANE Grus vipio 白枕鹤 Bái zhěn hè
Passage migrant, mostly in Spring (late March-April) and autumn (late October-November). Rare in winter.
Highest count: 1,020 on 22 March 2013 at Miyun Reservoir (via Weibo)
DEMOISELLE CRANE Anthropoides virgo 蓑羽鹤 Suō yǔ hè
Rare vagrant. At least eight records: seven on the 19 May 2007 at Wild Duck Lake (Bjorn Anderson); one photographed on 5 June 2009, also at Yeyahu (Brian Ivon Jones and Spike Millington); one on 1 June 2013 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt and Terry Townshend); one in December 2013 at Miyun Reservoir (Zhu Lei et al.) and one on 12 December 2018 at Ma Chang (Tong Menxiu); one on 20 November 2020 over the Agricultural Exhibition Center Park (amal amer et al.); one from 29 April to 3 May 2022 at least at Ma Chang (amal amer, peng su et al.); one on 13 May 2023 at Qingshui River, Miyun (李爱宏).
RED-CROWNED CRANE Grus japonensis 丹顶鹤 Dān dǐng hè
Very rare passage migrant. At least six records: the first record was of an injured bird rescued in Mentougou in September 2007 and taken to the Beijing Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (BBWS 2009); one at Miyun Reservoir 15 to 18 October 2013 at least (Paul Holt et al.); one juvenile at Miyun Reservoir 17 November 2013 (Jan-Erik Nilsén and Zhu Jia); one at Miyun Reservoir on 23-24 March 2015 (Paul Holt); a pair at Ma Chang on 4 December 2021 (刘双祺, 刘星语, 田思译, 黄明攀 and 布昕辰); three (two adults and a juvenile) photographed on 9 December 2022 at Ma Chang (Gin); the same three at Yeyahu on 12 March 2023 (via Beijing Daily – see here)
COMMON CRANE Grus grus 灰鹤 Huī hè
Common passage migrant and winter visitor, primarily October to April. Summer records rare. A pair successfully bred at Nanhaizi in 2021 but origin of the adult birds is unknown.
Highest count: 6,000 on 24 February 2019 at Yeyahu (Jenny Fang)
HOODED CRANE Grus monacha 白头鹤 Bái tóu hè
Scarce winter visitor and passage migrant (most records late October to April).
Highest count: 30 on 13 March 2013 at Miyun Reservoir (Steve Bale)
Turnicidae 三趾鹑科
YELLOW-LEGGED BUTTONQUAIL Turnix tanki 黄脚三趾鹑 Huáng jiǎo sān zhǐ chún
A passage migrant and probable local and opportunistic sporadic breeder (most records mid-May to August).
Highest count: 16 on 15 August 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (Jan-Erik Nilsén)
Ibidorhynchidae 鹮嘴鹬科
IBISBILL Ibidorhyncha struthersii 鹮嘴鹬 Huán zuǐ yù
Scarce, possibly now rare, and declining resident along fast-flowing shallow rivers. Most records along Bai He and Chao He rivers in the north/northeast. Decline most likely caused by gravel extraction along rivers and human disturbance.
Highest count: 12 on 2 September 2007 at Tanghekou, Huairou (TJL, CBR2007)
Recurvirostridae 反嘴鹬科
BLACK-WINGED STILT Himantopus himantopus 黑翅长脚鹬 Hēi chì cháng jiǎo yù
Common passage migrant and breeder (late March to October) with most records in Spring (late March to May).
Highest count: 200 on 29 April 2007 at Wild Duck Lake (Bjorn Andersson, CBR2007)
PIED AVOCET Recurvirostra avosetta 反嘴鹬 Fǎn zuǐ yù
Scarce passage migrant, predominantly in spring (March to May) and rare in autumn (August to October). Very rare in summer and winter. Increasing.
Highest counts: 60 on 26 March 2020 at the Xinzhuang Bridge Chaohe River, Miyun (云飞扬); 55 on 18 September 2022 at Ma Chang (杨华); 40 on 24 April 2003 at Miyun Reservoir ( 王沁 via BirdTalker); 30 on 25 March 2023 at Shahe Reservoir (Mingpan Huang); 30 on 26 March 2020 at Shahe Reservoir (D逍遥法外, 麦克曹); 30 on 10 April 2018 at Shisanling Reservoir (Zhen Niu)
Charadriidae 鸻科
NORTHERN LAPWING Vanellus vanellus 凤头麦鸡 Fèng tóu mài jī
Common passage migrant, peaking in March and early April and again in October, and local breeder. Records nearly all from March to November. One January record: one on 8 January 2021 at Yixinzhuang, Tongzhou (ameramer et al.). Two February records: one at Liangshui River (D逍遥法外) on 19 February 2021 and one at Yeyahu on 27 February 2021.
Highest counts: 1,000 on 24 October 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Chen Liang); 500 on 27 October 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (盎然子)
GREY-HEADED LAPWING Vanellus cinereus 灰头麦鸡 Huī tóu mài jī
Passage migrant (March to October), with most records in spring. Possible occasional local breeder.
Highest count: 50 on 11 April 2018 at Shahe Reservoir (Fishing Cat)
PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER Pluvialis fulva 金斑鸻 Jīn bān héng
Passage migrant in spring (April to early June, peaking mid-May) and autumn (September to November, peaking mid-September).
Highest counts: 400 on 18 and 19 May 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (Lusen, 七彩文鸟); 348 on 14 May 2017 at Yeyahu (Terry Townshend et al.)
GREY PLOVER Pluvialis squatarola 灰斑鸻 Huī bān héng
Scarce passage migrant in spring (March to May) and autumn (August to November).
Highest count: 30 on 2 November 2016 at the Guishui River, Yanqing ( 林达京); 20 on 8 November 2018 at Ma Chang (毛毛淘淘).
COMMON RINGED PLOVER Charadrius hiaticula 剑鸻 Jiàn héng
Very rare vagrant. At least five records: one on 8 April 2012 at Shahe Reservoir (Jan-Erik Nilsén); one on 8 May 2012 at the Wenyu River (Steve Bale); one heard on 31 August 2019 at Ma Chang (Paul Holt, Paul Hyde and Phil Hyde); one on 17 April 2021 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Colm Moore); and one at Ma Chang on 12-15 April 2022 at least (Guan Xueyan et al.)
LONG-BILLED PLOVER Charadrius placidus 长嘴剑鸻 Cháng zuǐ jiàn héng
Local summer breeder, and uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor to rivers such as the Chao River in Miyun, Juma River in Fangshan, Wenyu River in Chaoyang/Shunyi, Tonghui River in Tongzhou and around the reservoirs at Huairou and Miyun. Recorded in all months.
Highest counts: 26 on 11 March 2005 at Tonghui River (Paul Holt and Wang Qingyu); 23 on 3 September 2020 at the Lower Weir on the Wenyu River (Terry Townshend)
LITTLE RINGED PLOVER Charadrius dubius 金眶鸻 Jīn kuàng héng
Passage migrant and summer breeder (March to October). Very rare in winter.
Highest count: 200 on 14 April 2019 at Ma Chang (Zhen Niu)
KENTISH PLOVER Charadrius alexandrinus 环颈鸻 Huán jǐng héng
Passage migrant in spring (late March to May) and autumn (August to mid-September). Scarce in June and July. May breed.
Highest counts: 200 on 23 April 2020 at Yeyayu (Vincent Wang); 100 on 28 March 2020 at Yeyahu (Niaotu); 95 on 11 April 2018 at Ma Chang (Paul Holt)
LESSER SAND PLOVER Charadrius mongolus 蒙古沙鸻 Méng gǔ shā héng
Rare vagrant but status uncertain due to difficulties in separating similar species. Very few records, with even fewer documented. Recent records include one at Ma Chang on 7 April 2014 (XiaoPT, 盎然子) and presumably the same bird at the same site on 11 April 2014 (Jan-Erik Nilsén); one on 7 May 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (海南观鸟会, 雨燕); one on 28 March 2020 at Yeyahu (niaotu); one at Yeyahu on 12 April 2022 (Jun Yang, 大牙齿 458 et al.); one reported from Ma Chang on 3 May 2022 (Cory Gao); one on 22 May 2022 at Miyun Reservoir (Wang Shujun); two reported on 27 August 2022 from Ma Chang (Jiahua Xing); one reported on 24 September 2022 at Ma Chang (Shi Xu and Chunhong Liu).
GREATER SAND PLOVER Charadrius leschenaultii 铁嘴沙鸻 Tiě zuǐ shā héng
Scarce passage migrant in spring (late March to mid-May). Rare in autumn (August).
Highest counts: 70 on 23 April 2020 at Yeyahu (Vincent Wang); 30 on 10 May 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (Virginia Fairchild).
ORIENTAL PLOVER Charadrius veredus 东方鸻 Dōng fāng héng
Scarce and local passage migrant in spring (predominantly the last week of March and April). Rare in autumn. Loyal to preferred sites with the majority of records from Ma Chang. Earliest spring record: two at Ma Chang on 19 March 2022 (Gao Xiaoyan and Wang Licheng).
Highest count: 223 on 10 April 2018 at Ma Chang (Paul Holt)
Rostratulidae 彩鹬科
GREATER PAINTED SNIPE Rostratula benghalensis 彩鹬 Cǎi yù
Rare (fewer than five records annually) passage migrant and possible breeder with records from late April, May, June, July, August and September.
Highest count: three (two females chasing one male) on 5 July 2009 at the Wenyu River (Brian Ivon Jones)
Jacanidae 水雉科
PHEASANT-TAILED JACANA Hydrophasianus chirurgus 水雉 Shuǐ zhì
Rare summer overshoot. Historically more common. One on 22 May 2013 at Huairou Reservoir was possibly the first Beijing record for c40 years. Since then, one at Yeyahu on 8 June 2013 (Paul Holt, Chen Liang and Terry Townshend); one at Nanhaizi on 10 October 2015 (observer unknown); one at Nanhaizi on 26 May 2019 (Wang Libin); one on 21 July 2020 at the ChaoBai River (via Zhen Niu); one on 31 May 2021 at Shahe Reservoir (Wang Xiaobo); one on 17 May 2022 at Chaobai River (observer unknown); and one at the ChaoBai River (the same?) in Shunyi District from 29 June 2022 into early July at least (original observer unknown); one on 19 May 2023 at Nanhaizi (农民工).
Scolopacidae 丘鹬科
EURASIAN WOODCOCK Scolopax rusticola 丘鹬 Qiū yù
Scarce passage migrant and rare winter visitor. Most records in April and October.
Highest counts: five on 7 May 2017 at Yeyahu (Quan G).
JACK SNIPE Lymnocryptes minimus 姬鹬 Jī yù
Rare winter visitor and passage migrant. Possibly only nine records. Recorded “before 2009” at the Wenyu River (Brian Ivon Jones); one on 18 January to 3 February 2014 at least at the Wenyu River (Steve Bale et al.) was “possibly the 6th record for Beijing” (Paul Holt via Birding Beijing WeChat group). Possibly the same individual was recorded on 30 March 2014 at Shahe Reservoir (Colm Moore); two were at Miyun Reservoir on 27 February 2015 (Terry Townshend); one on 23 March 2020 at Shahe Reservoir (Colm Moore).
SOLITARY SNIPE Gallinago solitaria 孤沙锥 Gū shā zhuī
Rare winter visitor, usually along fast-moving streams (November to February). Recorded from the BaiHe Valley, Dashihe, Mangshan, Shidu and Shisanling.
Highest count: two on 19 January 2020 at the Qingshui River, Miyun County (Yawen, CeoffreyLions)
LATHAM’S SNIPE Gallinago hardwickii 澳南沙锥 Ào nán shā zhuī
Not on the official Beijing list. One report: 9th to 14th May 2009 at the Wenyu River (Brian Ivon Jones)
PINTAIL SNIPE Gallinago stenura 针尾沙锥 Zhēn wěi shā zhuī
Probably a regular passage migrant in Spring (May) and Autumn (August and September) but, due to the difficulty in separating this species from Swinhoe’s Snipe in the field, the vast majority of records are “Pintail or Swinhoe’s Snipe”. One confirmed Pintail Snipe was found dead at Tsinghua University on 21 August 2017 (Ben Wielstra), allowing the tail to be seen. Another, this time alive, was seen at close quarters at Tsinghua University on 11 September 2018 and identified definitively. Two were heard displaying pre-dawn at Ma Chang on 19 May 2019 (Paul Holt).
SWINHOE’S SNIPE Gallinago megala 大沙锥 Dà shā zhuī
As with Pintail Snipe, likely a regular passage migrant in Spring (May) and Autumn (August to September) but difficulty in separating Swinhoe’s and Pintail in the field clouds its true status. Confirmed records include one on 13 September 2018 on the “Shunyi Patch” seen well, with tail spread (Terry Townshend and Ben Wielstra); one was identified from photos of the spread tail at the Wenyu River on 16 May 2020 (Terry Townshend, Steve Bale and Wang Xue); and one photographed with spread tail in the Olympic Forest Park on 15 May 2021 (David Mou et al.)
COMMON SNIPE Gallinago gallinago 扇尾沙锥 Shàn wěi shā zhuī
Regular passage migrant in spring and autumn, and a winter visitor in smaller numbers. Scarce in June and July.
Highest counts: 107 on 30 April 2009 at the Wenyu River (Brian Ivon Jones); 50 on 3 May 2017 at Yizhuang Wetland, Tongzhou (迪迪)
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER Limnodromus scolopaceus 长嘴半蹼鹬 Cháng zuǐ bàn pǔ yù
Very rare vagrant. One record from Yeyahu on 19 October 2009 (Yan Xiaoqin). See here.
ASIAN DOWITCHER Limnodromus semipalmatus 半蹼鹬 Bàn pǔ yù
Rare passage migrant. Recorded in May, July and August.
‘EASTERN’ BLACK-TAILED GODWIT Limosa limosa melanuroides 黑尾塍鹬 Hēi wěi chéng yù
Regular passage migrant in spring (late March to May) and autumn (mid-August to September). Rare outside these windows.
Highest count: 300 on 30 September 2005 at Wild Duck Lake (LJY via CBR2005)
BAR-TAILED GODWIT Limosa lapponica 斑尾塍鹬 Bānwěi chéng yù
Very rare. At least five Beijing records: one at Miyun Reservoir on 13 April 2013 (Jan-Erik Nilsén); a group of seven at Shahe Reservoir on 22 June 2013 (Colm Moore) – this record coincided with a period of heavy rain and also saw Beijing’s first record of Long-tailed Skua; one on 22 May 2015 at Guojiawu, Huairou District (林达京, 观鸟别激动队); one on 17 September 2016 at Yeyahu (七彩文鸟); and one at Shahe Reservoir on 5 May 2022 (Guan Xueyan et al.).
LITTLE CURLEW/LITTLE WHIMBREL Numenius minutus 小杓鹬 Xiǎo biāo yù
Rare passage migrant with between 10-20 records up to mid-2020, all since 2004. Most recorded in late April to May and late August to early September. First record 11 May 2004 at Huairou Reservoir (JHa in CBR2004).
Highest count: 14 on 26 April 2016 at Shahe Reservoir (Colm Moore)
WHIMBREL Numenius phaeopus 中杓鹬 Zhōng biāo yù
Scarce passage migrant in spring (May) and autumn (primarily late August to September).
Highest count: 24 on 20 May 2018 at Miyun Reservoir (XiaoPT and Zhen Niu)
EURASIAN CURLEW Numenius arquata 白腰杓鹬 Bái yāo biāo yù
Scarce spring and rare autumn passage migrant. Most records March-May. At least one record each in June, July, August and September.
Highest count: 32+ on 30 April 2022 at Miyun Reservoir (Kong Deyi); 15 on 6 May 2004 at Miyun Reservoir (LJY in CBR2004).
FAR EASTERN CURLEW Numenius madagascariensis 大杓鹬 Dà biāo yù
Rare passage migrant with between 10-20 records up to end of 2019 (all but three since 2015). All records in March to June (most records in April) and August to September.
Highest counts: three on 31 August 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt, Terry Townshend, Zhao Min and Wu Lan).
SPOTTED REDSHANK Tringa erythropus 鹤鹬 Hè yù
Passage migrant in Spring (late March to June) and in autumn (late August to November).
Highest count: 300 on 30 September 2005 at Wild Duck Lake (LJY via CBR2005).
COMMON REDSHANK Tringa totanus 红脚鹬 Hóng jiǎo yù
Passage migrant in spring (March to May, peaking in April) and autumn (September to November). Rare in winter: two reported on 30 January 2020 at Shahe Reservoir (Wu Jinsong).
Highest count: ten on 2 May 2021 at Ma Chang (Ge Mengshui and anonymous); ten on 20 April 2019 at Yeyahu (Liu Chunhong, panxiaoji)
MARSH SANDPIPER Tringa stagnatilis 泽鹬 Zé yù
Common passage migrant in Spring (late April and May) and autumn (July to September).
Highest count: 60 on 6 October 2004 at Yeyahu (ZAH in CBR2004).
COMMON GREENSHANK Tringa nebularia 青脚鹬 Qīng jiǎo yù
Passage migrant in spring (late March to May) and autumn (July to October). Rare in June.
Highest count: 150 on 30 September 2005 at Wild Duck Lake (LJY via CBR2005)
GREEN SANDPIPER Tringa ochropus 白腰草鹬 Bái yāo cǎo yù
Common passage migrant and winter visitor. Recorded in all months.
Highest count: 70 on 13 May 2017 at DaShiHe (Tan Spring)
WOOD SANDPIPER Tringa glareola 林鹬 Lín yù
Common passage migrant in spring (April-May) and autumn (August-September). Scarce in June and July and October-November.
Highest count: 580 on 11 May 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (Terry Townshend)
GREY-TAILED TATTLER Tringa brevipes 灰尾漂鹬 Huī wěi (piào) yù
Rare passage migrant. At least ten Beijing records: a juvenile on 12 September 2012 at the Wenyu River (Per Alström, Steve Bale and Terry Townshend); an astonishing 51 on 25 May 2014 at Shahe Reservoir (Colm Moore); one on 8 September 2014 at Shahe Reservoir (Colm Moore); one on 13 September 2019 at Ma Chang (observer unknown); one on 27 May 2021 at Ma Chang (fsongdm); one on 13 June 2021 at the Olympic Forest Park (Zoey Squirrelmunk et al.); one on 29-31 July 2021 at least at Ma Chang (Liu Aitao, Lou Fangzhou, 大牙齿 458 et al.); one was recorded at night from the roof of the AIIB building on 19 September 2021 at 0123 hrs (Terry Townshend et al.); a flock of 55 at Ma Chang on 29 May 2022 (amal amer, Ren Lipeng at al.); four on 4 August 2023 at Ma Chang (Lou Fangzhou et al.).
TEREK SANDPIPER Xenus cinereus 翘嘴鹬 Qiào zuǐ yù
Scarce passage migrant in spring (April – May) and autumn (July to September).
COMMON SANDPIPER Actitis hypoleucos 矶鹬 Jī yù
Passage migrant and rare winter visitor. Recorded in all months with peaks in May and late August to early September.
Highest counts: 38 on 18 May 2022 at the Wenyu River (Terry Townshend et al.); 25 on 13 May 2017 at Shahe Reservoir (何文喵); 25 on 16 May 2013 at the Wenyu River (Steve Bale).
RUDDY TURNSTONE Arenaria interpres 翻石鹬 Fān shí yù
Rare passage migrant i红颈滨鹬n Spring (late April and May) and Autumn (late July to mid-September).
Highest count: seven on 2 September 2019 at Ma Chang (Su Liang)
RED KNOT Calidris canutus 红腹滨鹬 Hóng fù bīn yù
Rare passage migrant in Spring (late April and early May) and Autumn (primarily late August to early September, with one record of four birds in mid-July).
SANDERLING Calidris alba 三趾滨鹬 Sān zhǐ bīn yù
Rare passage migrant, primarily in autumn and with just one spring record. Possibly only nine records: two on 1 September 2013 at Yeyahu (Fu Cong); two juveniles on 6 October 2016, Ma Chang (Paul Holt); one juvenile at Ma Chang from 25 to 31 August 2019 at least (John MacKinnon, Li Siqi, Terry Townshend et al.); one moulting adult on 3-5 August 2020 at least at Ma Chang (Wang Xiaobo, Terry Townshend); one juvenile on 1-3 September 2020 at least at Ma Chang (Wang Xiaobo, XiaoPT et al.); a remarkable six juveniles on 11 September 2020 at Shahe Reservoir (Mei Zhuoluo and David Mou), with five remaining on 15th; one on 7 October 2020 at Ma Chang (候鸟spring); one on 10 May 2022 at Xiaomatou, Tongzhou (王勇); one on 18 May 2022 at the ChaoHui Bridge, Miyun (孙治家)
RED-NECKED STINT Calidris ruficollis 红颈滨鹬 Hóng jǐng bīn yù
Passage migrant in spring (April to May) and autumn (August to September). Scarce in July.
Highest count: 29 on 31 August 2019 at Ma Chang (Paul Holt)
LITTLE STINT Calidris minuta 小滨鹬 Xiǎo bīn yù
Rare passage migrant in spring (April to May) and autumn (August to September) but probably overlooked given difficulty of separation from Red-necked Stint. At least twelve records: recorded “prior to 2009” on the Wenyu River (Brian Ivon Jones); one on 3 May 2013 at the Wenyu River (Steve Bale); one on 22 April 2018 at Miyun Reservoir (XiaoPT and Chen Wei) was the 6th Beijing record (per Paul Holt); one at Wanping Hu sometime in May 2018 (Zhao Xiangyu pers. comm. to XiaoPT); one on 26-29 April 2019 at Shahe (Li Mengxuan et al.); one on 4 May 2019 at Ma Chang (Ben Wielstra and Richard Davis); two juveniles at Ma Chang, 27 August 2019, with one remaining until 11 September at least (Terry Townshend); one on 5 October 2020 (瑞Redstart); one on 29 April 2021 at Ma Chang (amal amer and Terry Townshend); one on 8 May 2021 at Ma Chang (Liu Aitao and Chen Yanzhi); one on 13 April 2022 at Xiaomatou, Tongzhou (Guan Xueyan et al.), with two at BeiYunHe on 16 April 2022 (amal amer, Cinclus cinclus et al.); one reported from Ma Chang on 16 August 2022 (Qihan Wang).
TEMMINCK’S STINT Calidris temminckii 青脚滨鹬 Qīng jiǎo bīn yù
Fairly common passage migrant in spring (from mid-April to May), and in autumn (late July to September).
Highest count: 30 on 29 April 2006 at Shahe Reservoir (LHY, CBR2006)
LONG-TOED STINT Calidris subminuta 长趾滨鹬 Zhǎng zhǐ bīn yù
Passage migrant in spring (late April and May, peaking in the first half of May) and autumn (August to mid-September). A few records from July.
Highest counts: 32+ on 14 May 2016 at Shahe Reservoir (Colm Moore); 32 on 11 May 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (Terry Townshend)
PECTORAL SANDPIPER Calidris melanotos 斑胸滨鹬 Bān xiōng bīn yù
Very rare. Only three records: two on 28 April 2012 at Shahe Reservoir (Wang Chuanbing) with one there on 12 May 2012 (蛐蛐儿, 荒野呼唤 via BirdTalker); one juvenile on 12 October 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt et al.) and one on 4 May 2019 at Ma Chang (Ben Wielstra and Richard Davis).
SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER Calidris acuminata 尖尾滨鹬 Jiān wěi bīn yù
Rare passage migrant. Recorded in April, May, June, July, August and September.
Highest counts: 15 on 27 August 2005 at Wild Duck Lake (Zli, CBR2005); 10 on 11 May 2020 at Kangxi Grassland/Ma Chang (大牙齿 458)
CURLEW SANDPIPER Calidris ferruginea 弯嘴滨鹬 Wān zuǐ bīn yù
Scarce passage migrant in spring (late April and May) and autumn (late July to early October, with most records in September). Rare outside these windows.
Highest count: 26 on 24 May 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt, Terry Townshend et al.)
DUNLIN Calidris alpina 黑腹滨鹬 Hēi fù bīn yù
Scarce passage migrant, mostly April and late August to October. One notable January record: one on 13 and 20 January 2013 at the Wenyu River (Steve Bale and Per Alström)
Highest count: 32 on 21 October 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt)
SPOON-BILLED SANDPIPER Eurynorhynchus pygmaeus 勺嘴鹬 Sháo zuǐ yù
Historical. Undated record from “Tong Xian county” (Cheng Tso-hsin, 1987).
BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER Calidris falcinellus 阔嘴鹬 Kuò zuǐ yù
Rare passage migrant, primarily in autumn (late July to early September), with c15 records and only one in spring. One juvenile on 22 September 2003 at Yeyahu (CBR2003) was described by the authors as the first record for Beijing; one on 9 September 2017 at Ma Chang (Terry Townshend, Marie Louise Ng and Ben Wielstra); one on 25 August 2018 at Ma Chang (Han Jing 韩京 & Yang Jie 杨杰) was just the fifth record (per Paul Holt); one on 23 August to 7 September 2019 at least at Ma Chang (Colm Moore), with two there on 25 August (John MacKinnon, Terry Townshend et al..) and four reported on 2nd September (Su Liang and te te); one on 30 April 2020 at Ma Chang (Vincent Wang); three on 1 August 2020 at Ma Chang (amal amer et al.); one on 13-14 August 2020 (Wang Xiaobo, Terry Townshend) and presumably the same on 19 August 2020 (Wang Xiaobo); one on 21 August 2020 at ChaoBaiHe (Wang Xiaobo); one on 30 August 2020 at Ma Chang (amal amer et al.); one on 29 July 2021 at Ma Chang (Liu Aitao, Lou Fangzhou and 大牙齿 458); one on 25 August 2021 at Ma Chang (Li Zhaonan et al.); two juveniles at Ma Chang on 7 September 2021 (amal amer, Terry Townshend et al.); one on 7 August 2022 at Ma Chang (Wang Ye and Qiuhan Zhang); one on 13 August 2023 at Ma Chang (Azusa Huang et al.).
RUFF Philomachus pugnax 流苏鹬 Liúsū yù
Rare passage migrant in spring (mid-March to April) and autumn (late August to September).
Highest counts: three on 28 March 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (Jan-Erik Nilsén); three on 26 August 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt and Terry Townshend); three at Shahe Reservoir on 3 April 2023 (Qiuhan Zhang et al.)
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE Phalaropus lobatus 红颈瓣蹼鹬 Hóng jǐng bàn pǔ yù
Rare passage migrant, with most records in autumn (August to November). First record was on 19 June 2004 at the Old Summer Palace (DCeng in CBR2004).
Highest count: 16 on 2 November 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Chen Liang et al.).
RED PHALAROPE Phalaropus fulicaria 灰瓣蹼鹬 Huī bàn pǔ yù
Vary rare. Possibly only four records: [missing first record]; one on 19 September 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Terry Townshend and Paul Holt), one on 1 October 2014 at the Tonghui River, Tongzhou (Paul Holt); one on 5-6 November 2022 at least at Shahe Reservoir (finder unknown).
Glareolidae 燕鸻科
ORIENTAL PRATINCOLE Glareola maldivarum 普通燕鸻 Pǔtōng yàn héng
Passage migrant in spring (mid-April to May) and autumn (September to October) and occasional opportunistic breeder. Stragglers recorded into November.
Highest counts: 100 on 14 May 2005 at Wild Duck Lake (Bjorn Andersson); 85 at Ma Chang on 23 April 2011 (Terry Townshend).
Laridae 鸥科
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE Rissa tridactyla 三趾鸥 Sān zhǐ ōu
Rare vagrant with c16 records, the vast majority first-winter birds in late autumn (late September to early November) and only four in spring – one on 9 April 2016 near the Bird’s Nest Stadium (dianchi); a 2cy bird on 2 April 2017 at Ma Chang (Richard Fuller and Terry Townshend); another 2cy bird on 27 March to early April 2020 at Guishui River, Yanqing (簌簌的雪, Wang Xue, Lou Fangzhou et al.); and one 2cy on 2 April 2022 at Kangxi Grassland (Terry Townshend). Only one adult: 2 November 2013 at Shahe Reservoir (Colm Moore).
SLENDER-BILLED GULL Chroicocephalus genei 细嘴鸥 Xì zuǐ ōu
Very rare vagrant. Only two records, both adults. The first on 3 September 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt et al.) and the second on 9 September 2015 at the same location (Paul Holt).
BROWN-HEADED GULL Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus 棕头鸥 Zōng tóu ōu
Scarce vagrant with all but two records relating to immature birds. Recorded in April, May, August, September and October. Only two records of adults: one photographed on 17 April 2020 at Shahe Reservoir (Li Bo via Jun Yang); and one at the same site on 30 April 2023 (李峰 Li Feng, Mikkel Thorup et al.)
BLACK-HEADED GULL Chroicocephalus ridibundus 红嘴鸥 Hóng zuǐ ōu
Primarily a passage migrant in spring and autumn but recorded in all months. Scarce in mid-winter, numbers build from February, peaking late March and early April, before dropping off in summer and building again from August, peaking in September and October before trailing off again.
Highest count: 2,165 on 12 April 2018 at Ma Chang (Paul Holt, Terry Townshend and Ben Welstra)
SAUNDERS’S GULL Chroicocephalus saundersi 黑嘴鸥 Hēi zuǐ ōu
Very rare vagrant. Only three records: an adult in breeding plumage on 25-26 March 2020 at least at Miyun Reservoir (Guan Xiangyu, Jian Song, Su Liang et al.); 1 at Kangxi Grassland on 1 April 2023 (顾嘉迅、李炳序) and three adults in breeding plumage at Shahe Reservoir on the same day (Lou Fangzhou et al.)
LITTLE GULL Hydrocoloeus minutus 小鸥 Xiǎo ōu
Rare passage migrant. Around ten records to the end of 2019. Most in autumn (late August to early November) and two in Spring (late March to mid-May). Most relate to first-winter birds.
Highest count: five on 15 May 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (Jan-Erik Nilsén and Terry Townshend)
RELICT GULL Ichthyaetus relictus 遗鸥 Yí ōu
Regular passage migrant in spring (late March to May) and less common in autumn (late July to October). Rare at other times. First recorded on 10 April 1983. Breeds on inland lakes in Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi Province and Hangbao County of Hebei Province, as well as Mongolia, Russia and Kazakhstan.
Highest count: 374 at Shahe on 2 April 2016 (Colm Moore)
PALLAS’S GULL Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus 渔鸥 Yú ōu
Scarce passage migrant in spring (late February to early April) and autumn (mid-Sep to early November). Rare in winter. First record as recent as 19 October 2007 when a juvenile was at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt) but now annual, probably due to greater observer coverage and awareness.
Highest counts: ten reported on 23 September 2020 at the ChaoBai River; three on 27 March 2020 at Shahe Reservoir (fsongdm); three on 7 April 2018 at Shisanling (Colm Moore); and three on 13 March 2019 at Shahe Reservoir (Lou Fangzhou et al.)
BLACK-TAILED GULL Larus crassirostris 黑尾鸥 Hēi wěi ōu
Rare vagrant from the coast. Status clouded by pitfalls in separating non-adults from immature Common Gulls. Three, including one breeding-plumaged adult, at Shahe Reservoir on 23 March 2021 (Guan Xueyan et al.); one photographed at Shahe Reservoir on 31 May 2019 (Wang Xiaobo); and one photographed at DaShiHe on 20 March 2022 (Guan Xueyan et al.) are the most recent confirmed records.
COMMON (MEW) GULL Larus canus 海鸥 Hǎi’ōu
A passage migrant and scarce winter visitor. Most records from October to April.
Highest count: 28 on 7 April 2018 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Colm Moore)
GLAUCOUS GULL Larus hyperboreus 北极鸥 Běijí ōu
Very rare vagrant. One record: a first-winter on 12 November 2011 at Yeyahu (Jan-Erik Nilsén) remained until 18th at least.
VEGA GULL Larus vegae 西伯利亚银鸥 Xībólìyǎ yín ōu
Very rare vagrant but probably overlooked due to the difficulty in separation from Mongolian. Only four confirmed records: an adult well-photographed and documented on 20 March 2021 at Shahe Reservoir (Liu Aitao, Lou Fangzhou and Wei Zichen) – the identification was confirmed by Japanese gull expert, Michiaki Ujihara, from the excellent images based on extent of head streaking and structure, including relatively short wings compared with mongolicus; a 3rd winter was videoed at Shahe Reservoir on 28 November 2021 (Terry Townshend); a 2cy photographed at LuomaHu, Shunyi District, on 21 March 2022; and a first-year bird was at Ming Tombs Reservoir on 4 October 2022 (Colm Moore). An additional bird found by Lu Zhuofei on 9th February 2022 at DaYunHe Forest Park was considered very likely a vegae. Based on his images (see eBird checklist here), the Japanese gull expert Michiaki Ujihara commented that if this bird was in Japan, it would be identified by most people, including him, as a vegae. However, there was still some uncertainty as to the full variation in mongolicus, so out of range birds should be treated with caution and the images were not sufficient to say for certain. The taxonomic status is unclear with some ornithological authorities treating vegae as a subspecies of Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) and others treating mongolicus as a subspecies of L. vegae.
MONGOLIAN GULL Larus mongolicus 蒙古银鸥 Ménggǔ yín ōu
Predominantly a passage migrant to and from wintering grounds on the coast to inland breeding grounds. Highest numbers in spring from late February to end of April, peaking in mid-March, and in autumn from August to November, peaking in October. Scarce in mid-summer and mid-winter, with records in these seasons usually relating to immature birds. Taxonomic status uncertain (see Vega Gull above).
Highest counts: 880 on 26 February 2020 at Shahe Reservoir (Steve Bale); 670 on 31 March 2019 at Shahe Reservoir (稻草大魔王)
LESSER BLACK-BACKED (SIBERIAN) GULL Larus fuscus taimyrensis 小黑背银鸥
Scarce passage migrant in spring (from mid-February to April) and autumn (October to early November). Relatively recent addition to the Beijing list, with the first record possibly being one 2cy migrating west on 26 April 2011 at Yeyahu (Jesper Hornskov and Terry Townshend). Annual in small numbers in the last few years, probably due to greater observer coverage and greater awareness.
Highest count: 25+ on 9 March 2021 at Shahe Reservoir (Colm Moore); 14 on 8 April 2017 at Shisanling (Colm Moore)
GULL-BILLED TERN Gelochelidon nilotica 鸥嘴噪鸥 Ōu zuǐ zào ōu
Passage migrant in spring (late April to early June, peaking in late April and early May) and autumn (late August to September).
Highest counts: 60 on 29 April 2019 at Shahe Reservoir (蛐蛐儿); 52 on 29 April 2019 at Shahe Reservoir (Zhen Niu)
CASPIAN TERN Hydroprogne caspia 红嘴巨鸥 Hóng zuǐ jù ōu
A scarce passage migrant in spring (mid-April to early June) and autumn (mainly September to October), occasional in July and August.
Highest count: 21 on 8 September 2021 at Ma Chang (amal amer and Terry Townshend); 16 on 16 April 2020 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Colm Moore); 13 on 9 May 2015 at Shahe Reservoir (Colm Moore) and 13 on 8 June 2019 at Shahe Reservoir (Colm Moore)
‘EASTERN’ LITTLE TERN Sternula albifrons sinensis 白额燕鸥 Bái é yàn ōu
Scarce passage migrant and occasional breeder from late April to September.
Highest count: 47 on 10 June 2004 at Miyun Reservoir (LJY in CBR2004).
COMMON TERN Sterna hirundo 普通燕鸥 Pǔtōng yàn ōu
Passage migrant and local summer breeder from mid-April to September, exceptionally early October. Two forms occur – minussensis and longipennis. Longipennis seems to be first to appear in Spring but minussensis seems to make up at least some of the breeding birds in Beijing. A mixed breeding pair was observed on 15 July 2020 at Ma Chang (Terry Townshend).
Highest counts: 210 at DaNing Reservoir on 27 June 2023 (Oriental Stork); approximately 160 on 22 May 2022 at DaNing Reservoir (Oriental Stork); 140 at DaNing Reservoir on 19 July 2023 (Jiaming Zhang); 111 on 1 June 2013 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt and Terry Townshend); 110 on 14 May 2022 at DaNing Reservoir (Oriental Stork)
WHISKERED TERN Chlidonias hybrida 须浮鸥 Xū fú ōu
Mostly a passage migrant but also a local breeder (late April to September, exceptionally October and November).
Highest counts: 55 on 19 May 2019 at Ma Chang (Paul Holt); 54 on 13 May 2021 at ChaoBaiHe (Terry Townshend)
WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN Chlidonias leucopterus 白翅浮鸥 Bái chì fú ōu
Uncommon passage migrant in spring (May and June) and again in autumn (August and September).
Highest count: 25 on 18 May 2018 at Shahe Reservoir (Max Breckenridge)
BLACK TERN Chlidonias niger 黑浮鸥 Hēi fú ōu
Very rare vagrant. One historic record: one collected from Tongxian (Tongzhou) on 24 August 1933 by Wilder (Cai, 1987)
Stercorariidae 贼鸥科
POMARINE JAEGER Stercorarius pomarinus 中贼鸥 Zhōng zéi-ōu
Very rare vagrant. Only thee records: one juvenile on 4 September 2014 at Ma Chang (Xu Yongchun); one at Yanqing pump station 30 October to 4 November 2016 at least (Yang Yuhe et al.); and one photographed along the Wenyu River on 31 October 2019 (Steve Bale).
LONG-TAILED JAEGER Stercorarius longicaudus 长尾贼鸥 Cháng-wěi zéi-ōu
Very rare vagrant. One ‘near-adult’ on 22 June 2013 at Shahe Reservoir (Colm Moore) the only record.
Pteroclididae 沙鸡科
PALLAS’S SANDGROUSE Syrrhaptes paradoxus 毛腿沙鸡 Máo tuǐ shā jī
A scarce and irruptive visitor, primarily in winter, sometimes in large numbers of 1,000+ birds. Not annual. November the prime month for arrivals, usually to open, grassy/sandy areas. Most recent irruptions in November 2013 and November 2019. Often some birds remain until the end of the winter.
Highest count: 7,363 counted from near LuoMaHu in Shunyi between 1400-1722 on 12 November 2022 (Terry Townshend); at least 1,050 over Changping District on 14 November 2019 (Wang Xiaobo)
Columbidae 鸠鸽科
ROCK PIGEON Columba livia 原鸽 Yuán gē
Resident population of feral pigeon in the city. Formerly may have bred in a wild state but, in recent years, population dominated by captive birds and escapes or releases. True status hard to assess due to numbers of feral birds and lack of attention by birders.
HILL PIGEON Columba rupestris 岩鸽 Yán gē
Common resident, primarily in the mountains around Beijing. Scarce in lowland Beijing.
Highest count: 100 on 11 January 2020 at Yanhecheng (Liu Chunhong et al.)
ORIENTAL TURTLE DOVE Streptopelia orientalis 山斑鸠 Shān bānjiū
Common resident and passage migrant. Slight peak in numbers in March-April and August-September suggesting resident breeding birds supplemented by migrants in spring and autumn.
Highest counts: 104 on 24 March 2022 near LuomaHu, Shunyi (Terry Townshend); 97 on 28 October 2022 at the Wenyu River (Terry Townshend); 96 on 10 February 2020 at the Wenyu River (云飞扬); 80 on 6 January 2020 at the Wenyu River (Steve Bale)
EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE Streptopelia decaocto 灰斑鸠 Huī bānjiū
Locally common resident, particularly in rural parts of the capital. Less common than Oriental Turtle Dove and Spotted Dove.
Highest counts: 80 on 26 September 2014 at Yeyahu (稻草大魔王); 78 on 27 October 2007 at Wild Duck Lake (BSQ, CBR2007).
RED COLLARED DOVE Streptopelia tranquebarica 火斑鸠 Huǒ bānjiū
Very scarce and probably declining passage migrant in spring (May) and autumn (August-September) and occasional breeder (for example in Tongzhou in 2022).
Highest count: five (two adults and three young) on 6 June 2022 at the Chaobai River, Tongzhou; three on 16 August 2014 at Shahe Reservoir (Colm Moore)
SPOTTED DOVE Spilopelia chinensis 珠颈斑鸠 Zhū jǐng bānjiū
Very common resident, including in urban parks.
Highest count: 102 on 19 December 2015 at Temple of Heaven Park (Meng Xiangxi); 91 on 14 September 2021 at Temple of Heaven Park (Zhou Zichen)
Cuculidae 杜鹃科
LESSER COUCAL Centropus bengalensis 小鸦鹃 Xiǎo yā juān
Very rare overshooting summer visitor in June, July and August. At least seven records, all since 2012. One photographed at the Olympic Forest Park on 27 June 2012 (webname Qing hua shou cang); one singing summer plumaged adult was seen well at Miyun Reservoir on the 27 July 2013 (Paul Holt and Terry Townshend); one photographed at NianTan park, Daxing on the 8 June 2014 (Zhong Zhenyu per XiaoPT); one at Miyun reservoir from the 25 July to the 7 August 2015 at least (Paul Holt); one at Shahe Reservoir on 9 August 2020 (Wang Xiaobo); one at Miyun on 11-13 July 2021 at least (Wang Shujun et al.); one at DaNing Reservoir on 11 June 2023 (Oriental Stork).
CHESTNUT-WINGED CUCKOO Clamator coromandus 红翅凤头鹃 Hóng chì fèng tóu juān
Rare overshoot in spring and early summer. All records between 9 May and 13 July. Recent records: one on 22 May 2016 at the Botanical Gardens (Jesper Hornskov); one on 25 June 2019 at Lingshan (Paul Holt and Steve Bale); and an exceptional three records in 2020 – one on 29 May at Nanhaizi (Zhong Zhenyu); one on 22-23 June in the Temple of Heaven Park (Li Zhaonan, Wang Xiaobo, amal amer et al.); one on 13 July in the Botanical Gardens (Wang Xiaobo); one photographed on 9 May 2022 at Dongxiaokou Park (Grady Singleton and Ruby Linlin) which stayed several days; one on 7-9 June 2022 at least at Shahe Reservoir (Zhen Niu).
ASIAN KOEL Eudynamys scolopacea 噪鹃 Zào juān
Formerly scarce but now regular and increasing summer visitor from mid-May to September.
Highest counts: six on 5 June 2019 at XiangShan (Lena Wu); six on 20 May 2018 at Miaofengshan (Colm Moore)
LARGE HAWK-CUCKOO Hierococcyx sparverioides 鹰鹃 Yīng juān
Local summer breeder to the mountains (predominantly late April to late August); scarce in lowland Beijing on migration.
Highest count: 14 at Baihuashan on 10 June 2018 (Jan-Erik Nilsén)
NORTHERN (RUFOUS) HAWK-CUCKOO Hierococcyx hyperythrus 北鹰鹃 Běi yīng juān
Rare passage migrant (May to October). Around nine records, including one on 13 June 2015 at Huairou Reservoir (北斗夕子); one on 29 August 2018 at the Wenyu River (Steve Bale); one on 17 May 2019 at Badaling Forest Park (Paul Holt); one 1cy bird in the Olympic Forest Park from 2-10 October 2020 at least (Gao Yuan et al.); one in Temple of Heaven Park late Sep to 5 October at least 2021; one singing at Ming Tombs Reservoir on 9 May 2022 (Colm Moore).
ASIAN LESSER CUCKOO Cuculus poliocephalus 小杜鹃 Xiǎo dùjuān
Scarce summer visitor to the mountains. Best sites: Lingshan, Baihuashan, Miaofengshan, Laoyugou.
Highest count: four on 1 July 2020 at Miaofengshan (Zhen Niu); four on 11 June 2019 at Miaofengshan (Colm Moore).
INDIAN CUCKOO Cuculus micropterus 四声杜鹃 Sì shēng dùjuān
Common summer visitor May to mid-September. Most reports from May when newly arrived birds sing their four-note “one more bottle” frequently, often at night as well as during the day. Reports drop off rapidly from mid-June but some birds still sing into July. Few reports from August after adult birds have largely fallen silent, with juveniles reported into September, often being fed by the most common foster parents, Azure-winged Magpie.
Highest count: 20 on 3 June 2012 at the Wenyu River (Claus Holzapfel)
HIMALAYAN CUCKOO Cuculus saturatus 中杜鹃 Zhōng dùjuān
Local summer breeder to the mountains (early May to end of June). Records scarce after end of June when stops singing.
Highest count: six on 2 June 2018 at Lingshan (Terry Townshend)
ORIENTAL CUCKOO Cuculus optatus 北方中杜鹃 Běifāng zhōng dùjuān
Rare but probably much overlooked passage migrant in spring (mid-May and early June) and probably also in autumn (August and September). Very few documented records given non-vocalising birds are difficult to separate from Common Cuckoo and Himalayan Cuckoo in the field unless the underwing and underparts are seen very well. A notable quartet of records in 2020: one was singing and sound-recorded near ID City in Shunyi District on 13 May 2020 (Terry Townshend); another was singing and sound-recorded at Yuanmingyuan on the same day (Zhang Dongyuan); one in Temple of Heaven Park on 23 May 2020 (Wang Xiaobo) and one sound-recorded at Shahe Reservoir on 26 May 2020 (Colm Moore); other records include one on 21 May 2022 at Kangxi Grassland (王力成、严向荣); one at Ming Tombs Reservoir on 21 May 2023 (Colm Moore); one sound-recorded at Lingshan on 26 May 2023 (Terry Townshend).
COMMON CUCKOO Cuculus canorus 大杜鹃 Dà dùjuān
Common summer breeder and passage migrant from mid-May to September. In Beijing, where the breeding subspecies is bakeri, it is mainly a wetland species, parasitising Oriental Reed Warbler. Nominate canorus is a passage migrant on its way to breeding grounds in N China (Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning) and further north in Mongolia, Russia and Japan. Tracking studies have shown that the Beijing-breeding birds winter in SE Africa (primarily Mozambique and surrounding countries).
Highest count: 40 on 28 May 2006 at Shahe Reservoir, Changping (科目和夫人).
Strigidae 鸱鸮科
JAPANESE SCOPS OWL Otus semitorques 北领角鸮 Běi lǐng jiǎo xiāo
Rare and local breeder. Xiaolongmen is the best site. One photographed at Lingshan on 30 January 2022 (大牙齿 458)
Highest count: three on 2 June 2018 at Xiaolongmen (Beijing Feiyu)
ORIENTAL SCOPS OWL Otus sunia 红角鸮 Hóng jiǎo xiāo
Summer breeder April to September, most conspicuous when newly arrived and on migration in mid- to late April. At this time, it can often be heard in city locations such as the Olympic Forest Park, university campuses and the Botanical Gardens.
Highest count: six on 13 July 2013 at the Botanical Gardens (Yan Shen)
EURASIAN EAGLE OWL Bubo bubo 雕鸮 Diāo xiāo
Local resident breeder, primarily in the mountains. Recorded at lower elevations in winter, often near reservoirs and in open areas.
HIMALAYAN/CHINESE TAWNY OWL Strix aluco 灰林鸮 Huī lín xiāo
Local resident breeder in the hills and mountains. Botanical Gardens, Badaling Forest Park, Lingshan and Xiaolongmen are among the best sites. Most conspicuous when singing on clear, still nights from late February to May.
URAL OWL Strix uralensis 长尾林鸮 Cháng wěilín xiāo
Probably now extirpated from Beijing with no reports since 2007. One female collected at Shisanling in 1870 (Swinhoe), with the specimen now in the British Natural History Museum, London (Cai, 1987); one banded at Xiaolongmen in 1990 and another at Ming Tombs in November 1992 (Birds of Beijing, 2021); one reported from the Summer Palace on 15 March 2003 (CBR2003); one heard at Donglingshan, Mentougou on 31 May and 1 June 2003 (CBR2003); one report of a single bird heard on 2 May 2007 at Songshan (WQi, CBR2007).
ASIAN BARRED OWLET Glaucidium cuculoides 斑头鸺鹠 Bān tóu xiū liú
Very rare vagrant. No records of wild birds in the field. However, an odd series of records from October 2006 to March 2008, during which the Beijing Raptor Rescue Center received four individuals: one on 31 October 2006 from Haidian District; one on 30 January 2007 (district of origin unknown); one on 7 March 2008 from Fengtai District; and one on 17 March 2008 from Xicheng District (Chinese Journal of Zoology, 2008).
LITTLE OWL Athene noctua 纵纹腹小鸮 Zòng wén fù xiǎo xiāo
Local resident breeder. Most often seen in rural areas but can be present in relatively urban areas, for example Shunyi.
Highest count: ten associating together on 17 April 2004 at Bahe Wetland, Chaoyang (LHT In CBR2004).
NORTHERN BOOBOOK Ninox japonica 鹰鸮 Yīng xiāo
Scarce summer breeder (May to August). The Summer Palace and Peking University are the most reliable sites. Also recorded from Miaofengshan and Temple of Heaven Park.
LONG-EARED OWL Asio otus 长耳鸮 Cháng ěr xiāo
Local winter visitor and passage migrant (October to April). Declining. One exceptional summer record on 27 August 2014 at Temple of Heaven Park (Lisiqi-bird). Has bred in neighbouring Tianjin, so not out of the question that it breeds in the capital on occasion.
Highest count: 21 on 10 December 2006 at Temple of Heaven Park (LDJ, CBR2006)
SHORT-EARED OWL Asio flammeus 短耳鸮 Duǎn ěr xiāo
Scarce winter visitor and passage migrant (October to April).
Highest count: eight on 16 January 2016 at Miyun Reservoir (Mint Ren)
Caprimulgidae 夜鹰科
GREY NIGHTJAR Caprimulgus jotaka 普通夜鹰 Pǔtōng yè yīng
Local summer breeder, primarily in the mountains, and a passage migrant, April to September. Sometimes recorded in city parks on passage.
Highest count: ten on 3 July 2015 at Songshan (朔风)
Apodidae 雨燕科
HIMALAYAN SWIFTLET Aerodramus brevirostris 短嘴金丝燕 Duǎn-zuǐ jīn-sī-yàn
Very rare. Only two records: one on 14 September 2018 at Yeyahu (Paul Holt); and one on 26 May 2019 after heavy rain at the ‘Shunyi patch’ near the International Exhibition Centre (Terry Townshend).
WHITE-THROATED NEEDLETAIL Hirundapus caudacutus 白喉针尾雨燕 Báihóu zhēn wěi yǔyàn
Scarce passage migrant in spring (April-May) and autumn (second half of August and September). The raptor watchpoint at Baiwangshan is the most reliable site.
Highest count: 35 on 19 September 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (Terry Townshend, Paul Holt et al.)
COMMON ‘BEIJING’ SWIFT Apus apus pekinensis 普通楼燕 Pǔtōng lóu yàn
Common summer breeder from April, with most leaving by the end of July to spend the northern winter in southern Africa. Some records in August and stragglers into September. City centre old buildings such as Zhengyangmen, Qianmen, Yonghegong and Temple of Heaven are some of the best sites with colonies in excess of 1,000 birds; gatherings at dawn and dusk can be spectacular.
Highest count: 2,000 on 3 June 2020 at Baiwangshan (健 宋).
PACIFIC SWIFT Apus pacificus 白腰雨燕 Bái yāo yǔyàn
A passage migrant in spring (primarily April and May but exceptionally late March and spring migration continues into the first half of June) and autumn (August and early September). A few pairs breed on cliffs in Mentougou District, for example at Lingshan and Yanhecheng, and in Miyun District.
Highest count: 350+ on 31 May 2022 at Peking University campus (彭涛); 350 on 23 April 2011 at Ma Chang (Terry Townshend).
Coraciidae 佛法僧科
EUROPEAN ROLLER Coracias garrulus 蓝胸佛法僧 Lán xiōng fó-fǎ-sēng
Very rare vagrant. Only one record: 28 June 2007 caught in mist nets at Beijing Airport (Zhao Xinru).
DOLLARBIRD Eurystomus orientalis 三宝鸟 Sānbǎo niǎo
Rare breeding summer visitor and passage migrant (May to October). Best sites are the Botanical Gardens and Yuanmingyuan.
Highest count: four on 22 July 2017 at Yuanmingyuan (_星畔_).
Alcedinidae 翠鸟科
WHITE-THROATED KINGFISHER Halcyon smyrnensis 白胸翡翠 Bái xiōng fěicuì
Very rare vagrant. Only one recent record: one at Olympic Forest Park on 21 August 2021 (Guan Xueyan)
BLACK-CAPPED KINGFISHER Halcyon pileata 蓝翡翠 Lán fěicuì
Scarce and declining summer breeder and passage migrant (May to September, exceptionally October)
Highest count: nine on 11 June 2005 at the Yongdinghe Valley (ZYong via CBR2005)
COMMON KINGFISHER Alcedo atthis 普通翠鸟 Pǔtōng cuì niǎo
Very common summer breeder and passage migrant, and a winter visitor in smaller numbers.
Highest counts: ten on 28 April 2018 at Ma Chang (Zhen Niu); ten on 2 April 2018 at Yeyahu (北京飞羽2018); ten on 18 April 2015 at Shahe Reservoir (七彩文鸟, Lusen)
CRESTED KINGFISHER Megaceryle lugubris 冠鱼狗 Guān yú gǒu
Uncommon and local resident, reported more frequently in winter. Breeds along rivers, primarily in the mountains, such as the Bai River, but also along the Wenyu River in Chaoyang/Shunyi Districts and the Juma River in Fangshan District.
Highest counts: five (a pair with three fledged young) on 17 June 2020 at the Wenyu River (Terry Townshend); four on 4 January 2020 at Shidu (Tian Li); four on 1 January 2019 at Shidu (SleeyBirder); four on 8 June 2018 at Chinese Academy of Sciences Yanqi Campus, Huairou (北京飞羽2018)
PIED KINGFISHER Ceryle rudis 斑鱼狗 Bān yú gǒu
Rare vagrant. Possibly only thirteen records. Recent records include: one photographed on 29 October 2005 at Shahe Reservoir (ZLei in CBR2005); one on 5 February 2006 at the Wenyu River (CW in CBR 2006); one 18-21 October 2009 at Yeyahu (韩冬, 沈成, 及北大附中观鸟小组成员 via BirdTalker); one in October 2010 at Shahe Reservoir (?); one on 29 March 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Terry Townshend and Beijing Hikers); one on 25 August 2018 at Miyun Reservoir (XiaoPT, Luo Qingqing et al.); one on 28 August 2018 at Yeyahu (Guan Xueyan et al..); one on 7 July 2019 at Shahe Reservoir (黄非红); one at Yongding River on 14 June 2022 (阿矛-cugb); one at Bulaotun on 18 June 2022 (Qiuhan Z et al.), apparently present for at least a week; two at Ming tombs Reservoir on 4 August 2022 (Colm Moore); one along the Wenyu River from 22 December 2022 to 7 January 2023 at least (via 宋健); one on 9 June 2023 at Shahe Reservoir (名世京); one on 11 June 2023 at DaNing Reservoir (霍圣哲, 黄梓琪, 张芮源).
Upupidae 戴胜科
EURASIAN HOOPOE Upupa epops 戴胜 Dài shèng
Common breeder, passage migrant and winter visitor in lower numbers. Can often be seen in parks.
Highest count: 20 on 2 December 2018 at the DaShi River, Fangshan District (XiaoPT)
Picidae 啄木鸟科
EURASIAN WRYNECK Jynx torquilla 蚁鴷 Yǐ liè
Uncommon passage migrant in spring (mid-April to May) and autumn (primarily August to October, with a the peak in late August and early September). Exceptionally recorded in June, July and November).
RUFOUS-BELLIED WOODPECKER Dendrocopos hyperythrus 棕腹啄木鸟 Zōng fù zhuómùniǎo
Uncommon passage migrant in spring (April and May) and autumn (late August to October). Rare in winter.
Highest counts: four on 11 September 2020 at Agricultural Exhibition Center Park (via Zhang Xiaoling); four on 7 September 2013 at Tsinghua University (XiaoPT); four on 10 September 2013 in the UK Ambassador’s garden (Terry Townshend)
JAPANESE PYGMY WOODPECKER Dendrocopos kizuki 小星头啄木鸟 Xiǎo xīng tóu zhuómùniǎo
Rare and local, despite being a fairly common resident at Wulingshan, just over the border in Hebei Province. Apparently resident on the Beijing side of Wulingshan and maybe as few as two records away from that area: one on 18 January 2018 at the nearby Huangyan River, Miyun County; and one on 3 September 2015 at Lingshan (Paul Holt).
GREY-CAPPED PYGMY WOODPECKER Dendrocopos canicapillus 星头啄木鸟 Xīng tóu zhuómùniǎo
Common resident in urban and rural areas.
Highest count: 12 on 23 November 2019 at the Olympic Forest Park (Li Zhaonan)
LESSER-SPOTTED WOODPECKER Dendrocopos minor 小斑啄木鸟 Xiǎo bān zhuómùniǎo
Very rare. Only one record: on 6 November 2014 at Lingshan (Terry Townshend).
WHITE-BACKED WOODPECKER Dendrocopos leucotos 白背啄木鸟 Bái bèi zhuómùniǎo
Rare and local resident breeder. Best sites Lingshan, Xiaolongmen and the Beijing part of Wulingshan (most of Wulingshan Scenic Area is in Hebei). No documented records from city parks.
GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER Dendrocopos major 大斑啄木鸟 Dà bān zhuómùniǎo
Very common resident in urban and rural areas.
Highest count: 21 on 2 February 2019 in Yuanmingyuan Park (Wang Yishan)
BLACK WOODPECKER Dryocopus martius 黑啄木鸟 Hēi zhuómùniǎo
Historical records from the “Eastern Tombs”, a forest that was felled during the early 20th century. Almost certainly now not present in Beijing.
GREY-HEADED WOODPECKER Picus canus 灰头绿啄木鸟 Huī tóu lǜ zhuómùniǎo
Very common resident in urban and rural areas.
Highest count: 20 on 15 March 2018 at Peking University (Liu Zongzhuang)
Campephagidae 鹃鵙科
BLACK-WINGED CUCKOOSHRIKE Coracina melaschistos 暗灰鹃鵙 Àn huī juān jú
Rare but seemingly increasing summer visitor. Has bred in Yanqing, including at Yeyahu in 2019 (Fang Chun). Other recent records include one in ‘early September’ 2018 in Olympic Forest Park (via XiaoPT), one on 11-14 September 2019 at least at Beijing Normal University (_星畔_ et al.); one on 23 April 2020 at Liangshui He (DaHe); one on 27 May to 1 June 2020 at least at Yuanmingyuan (Wang Xiaobo et al.); one on 27 May 2020 at Temple of Heaven Park; one on 1-2 June 2020 at the Wenyu River (Terry Townshend); one on 16 May 2022 at Shawo Park, Chaobai River, Tongzhou (Wang Changjun); one on 30 May 2022 at HuoYing (Wang Xiaobo); two at Ming Tombs Reservoir on 8 June 2022 (Colm Moore); one on 17 May 2023 at HuoYing (Wang Xiaobo); one on 30 May 2023 at the Olympic Forest Park (宋超).
SWINHOE’S MINIVET Pericrocotus cantonensis 小灰山椒鸟 Xiǎo huī shānjiāo niǎo
Rare overshooting summer visitor. Has bred. First record at Summer Palace on 11 June 2015 (Jesper Hornskov). This was followed by one at Gubeikou on 1 August 2015 (Qingyu Ge), one at Peking University campus on 29 April 2016 (Chengdu Wei and Chen Xi’er via Huang Hanchen). Since then, has likely bred at Huairou Reservoir (2017) and at Gubeikou (2017, 2018) but only one bird recorded at Gubeikou in June 2019 so it seems that this species is not yet a regular breeder in Beijing.
Highest count: ten on 24 June 2018 at Gubeikou (Li Zhaonan).
ASHY MINIVET Pericrocotus divaricatus 灰山椒鸟 Huī shānjiāo niǎo
Scarce passage migrant in spring (April and May) and autumn (late August to early October)
Highest count: 18 on 5 October 2016 at Yeyahu (Paul Holt)
LONG-TAILED MINIVET Pericrocotus ethologus 长尾山椒鸟 Cháng wěi shānjiāo niǎo
Scarce and local breeder in the mountains and recorded on passage in lowland Beijing (April and May and September to November, peaking in early October).
Highest count: 100 on 4 October 2015 at Shisanling (Colm Moore)
Laniidae 伯劳科
TIGER SHRIKE Lanius tigrinus 虎纹伯劳 Hǔ wén bó láo
Rare passage migrant in spring (late May and early June) and autumn (late August) and an occasional breeder (bred in 2021).
BULL-HEADED SHRIKE Lanius bucephalus 牛头伯劳 Niú tóu bó láo
Rare and local breeder in the mountains and passage migrant in spring (April and May) and autumn (September and October). Very rare in winter.
Highest count: six on 25 July 2019 at Laoyugou (XiaoPT); six on 19 July 2022 at Baicaopan (Hang Ye)
BROWN SHRIKE Lanius cristatus 红尾伯劳 Hóng wěi bó láo
Local breeder and common passage migrant in spring (primarily May, exceptionally late April) and autumn (mid-Aug-Sep, peaking in late August). Stragglers into October.
Highest count: 28 on 26 August 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (Terry Townshend and Paul Holt)
LONG-TAILED SHRIKE Lanius schach 棕背伯劳 Zōng bèi bó láo
Scarce but increasing resident, passage migrant and breeder. Before 2013 this species was very rare, with only around five records. However, since 2013 there has been a significant increase in records with birds recorded in all months at many sites in the capital. Has successfully bred, including in Shunyi in 2022 (a pair plus three young seen multiple times near ID City in July and August 2022).
Highest count: six at Shahe on 17 September 2016 (Colm Moore)
GREY-BACKED SHRIKE Lanius tephronotus 灰背伯劳 Huī-bèi bóláo
Very rare. Only one documented record: one photographed on 11 July 2020 by Ren Lipeng et al. at Lingshan. See here. In addition, one reported from the unlikely location of Yuanmingyuan on 10 May 2021 (陈泽成)
NORTHERN GREY SHRIKE Lanius excubitor sibiricus 灰伯劳 Huī bóláo
Rare but annual winter visitor (late October to March), usually to the mountains. Lingshan and Miaofengshan the most reliable sites.
CHINESE GREY SHRIKE Lanius s. sphenocercus 楔尾伯劳 Xiē wěi bóláo
Fairly common resident, passage migrant, winter visitor and a scarce breeder outside the 5th ring road. Scarce inside the 5th ring road.
Highest count: Seven on 8 April 2017 at Yeyahu (白尾 海雕)
Oriolidae 黄鹂科
BLACK-NAPED ORIOLE Oriolus chinensis 黑枕黄鹂 Hēi zhěn huánglí
Fairly common passage migrant in spring (May and June) and autumn (August and September) and scarce breeder.
Highest count: ten on 4 August 2018 at Yanqing (北京飞羽2018).
Dicruridae 卷尾科
BLACK DRONGO Dicrurus macrocercus 黑卷尾 Hēi juàn wěi
Common passage migrant and local breeder (predominantly May to September but a handful of records in late April and early October)
Highest count: 200 on 21 August 2005 at Wild Duck Lake (LHT)
ASHY DRONGO Dicrurus leucophaeus 灰卷尾 Huī juàn wěi
Very rare. Recent records: one photographed well on 18 May 2020 at Yuanmingyuan (amal amer), apparently found the day before by an ‘unknown birder’. One reported from Dongxiaokou Park, Chaoyang on 15 May 2022 (劳二尔); one photographed at Baiwangshan on 27 May 2022 (via WeChat) and one photographed at Bulaotun, Miyun on 24 August 2022 (李爱宏) [previous records?]
HAIR-CRESTED DRONGO Dicrurus hottentottus 发冠卷尾 Fā guān juàn wěi
Scarce and local summer breeder in the mountains (mid-May to September) and a scarce/rare passage migrant in lowland Beijing. Occasional stragglers in October, November and even December.
Highest count: eight on 19 May 1988 at Mutianyu Great Wall (Peter Vickery)
Monarchidae 王鹟科
ASIAN (AMUR) PARADISE FLYCATCHER Terpsiphone paradisi 寿带 Shòu dài
Scarce and local breeder and passage migrant in spring (late May to June) and autumn (late August and September).
Corvidae 鸦科
EURASIAN JAY Garrulus glandarius 松鸦 Sōng yā
Uncommon resident, mostly in the mountains and also in some of the larger parks such as Botanical Gardens. Occasional autumnal dispersals.
Highest counts: 70+ flying west on 22 September 2020 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Colm Moore); 20 on 6 December 2015 at Xiaolongmen (hoshi); 20 on 18 October 2013 in the Botanical Gardens (Lin Fangyee)
AZURE-WINGED MAGPIE Cyanopica cyanus 灰喜鹊 Huī xǐquè
Abundant resident in urban and rural areas. Gregarious and noisy.
Highest count: 280 on 24 December 2006 at Yuanmingyuan (JYP, CBR2006)
RED-BILLED BLUE MAGPIE Urocissa erythrorhyncha 红嘴蓝鹊 Hóng zuǐ lán què
Common resident in the mountains and in the larger parks such as Yuanmingyuan, Botanical Gardens and Olympic Forest Park.
Highest count: 40 on 25 December 2004 at Badachu (YZD in CBR2004)
GREY TREEPIE Dendrocitta formosae 灰树鹊 Huī shù què
Three records of unknown origin. One photographed at Ma Chang on 28 May 2022 (原木). The tail feathers on this bird showed some abrasion, so there must be some doubt as to whether it was truly wild, especially given this species is thought to be sedentary with a range well south of Beijing. However, there was then a second record (photographed) at Baiwangshan Forest Park on the unexpected date of 9 December 2022 (via Guan Xiangyu). The third record was also from Baiwangshan Forest Park on 5 April 2023 (夏楚飞、张芮源) – possibly the same bird as in December? There are some recent May records as far north as Shandong (Qingdao Birdwatching Society), with one record involving four individuals, suggesting this species may be at least partially migratory and possibly expanding its range northwards.
ORIENTAL MAGPIE Pica serica 喜鹊 Xǐquè
Abundant resident in urban and rural areas.
Highest count: 320 at a roost on the evening of 27 November 2019 at Ma Chang (Terry Townshend)
SPOTTED NUTCRACKER Nucifraga caryocatactes 星鸦 Xīng yā
Uncommon resident. Best sites are the mountains in Mentougou District (Lingshan, Baihuashan and Miaofengshan) but also recorded in the Botanical Gardens. Very rare in lowland Beijing. One on 17 September 2018 in Ritan Park was exceptional (Gong Huijun).
Highest count: eight at Baihuashan on 11 July 2015 (白尾 海雕)
RED-BILLED CHOUGH Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax 红嘴山鸦 Hóng zuǐ shān yā
Fairly common resident in the mountains in the north and west of Beijing. Rare in lowland Beijing.
Highest count: 300 on 13 January 2018 at the Youzhou Valley (Li Zhaonan)
WESTERN JACKDAW Corvus monedula 寒鸦 Hán-yā
Very rare vagrant. Only one record: 13 April 2020 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Colm Moore)
DAURIAN JACKDAW Coloeus dauuricus 达乌里寒鸦 Dá wū lǐ hán yā
Common winter visitor and passage migrant (predominantly October to April). Rare outside this window. Formerly bred on cliffs at Songshan: “Prof. Gao Wu recorded 100+ nests on the cliffs during his surveys at Songshan from 1987 to 1989, which was considered the first breeding record of Daurian Jackdaw in Beijing” (via XiaoPT)
Highest count: 13,000 on 14 October 2007 at Tongzhou, all between 1700-1745 (Paul Holt)
‘EASTERN’ ROOK Corvus frugilegus (pastinator) 秃鼻乌鸦 Tū bí wūyā
Predominantly an uncommon passage migrant in spring (peaking late March and early April) and autumn (October and early November). Not many reports in winter and rare from May to August. A count of 200 on 19 December 2021 at Tsinghua University (Ceoffrey Lions) was a good winter record.
Highest counts: an estimated 2,695 SW over the Wenyu River on 20 March 2022 (Terry Townshend); 1,200 on 23 March 2019 at Laiguangying, Chaoyang District (金凤羽龙); 1,100 at Shahe Reservoir on 27 March 2016 (Colm Moore)
CARRION CROW Corvus corone 小嘴乌鸦 Xiǎo zuǐ wūyā
Common resident with numbers supplemented by migrants in winter. Large roosts in the university district of Haidain in winter.
Highest count: 3,500 on 5 January 2006 at Gongzhufen and Yongding Road, western Chang An Street (LY et al., CBR2006)
HOODED CROW Corvus cornix 冠小嘴乌鸦 Guān xiǎo zuǐ wūyā
Very rare. One record: one seen in flight on 29 October 2016 close to Beijing Capital International Airport (Jesper Hornskov)
COLLARED CROW Corvus torquatus 白颈鸦 Bái jǐng yā
Rare, mostly overshooting spring vagrant, with the majority of records in Spring (April and May).
LARGE-BILLED CROW Corvus macrorhynchos 大嘴乌鸦 Dà zuǐ wūyā
Common resident in both rural and urban Beijing. The default crow in the mountains.
Highest count: 500 on 26 October 2007 at Temple of Heaven Park (HX, CBR2007)
Bombycillidae 太平鸟科
BOHEMIAN WAXWING Bombycilla garrulus 太平鸟 Tàipíngniǎo
Winter visitor in varying numbers, primarily from November to April (occasionally last few days of October and into May). Best sites are usually the larger parks such as Botanical Gardens, Agricultural Exhibition Center, Temple of Heaven and Yuanmingyuan. Sometimes in mixed flocks with Japanese Waxwings.
Highest counts: 150 on 7 April 2020 at Temple of Heaven Park (大牙齿 458); 120 on 14 February 2018 at Lingshan (Terry Townshend); 100 on 3 April 2020 at Temple of Heaven Park (XiaoPT)
JAPANESE WAXWING Bombycilla japonica 小太平鸟 Xiǎo tàipíngniǎo
Winter visitor in varying numbers from November to April, with stragglers into May. Best sites are usually the larger parks such as Botanical Gardens, Agricultural Exhibition Center, Temple of Heaven and Yuanmingyuan. Sometimes in mixed flocks with Bohemian Waxwings.
Highest count: 260 on 23 February 2020 near Ming Tombs Reservoir (Steve Bale and Terry Townshend).
Estrildidae 梅花雀科
SCALY-BREASTED MUNIA Lonchura punctulata 斑文鳥 Bān wén niǎo
Not thought to have occurred naturally given its more southerly distribution and non-migratory status. However, there are occasional records and it’s possible, over time, that these may prove to be part of a northerly range expansion. Observers are encouraged to report sightings.
Stenostiridae 仙莺科
GREY-HEADED CANARY FLYCATCHER Culicicapa ceylonensis 方尾鹟 Fāng wěi wēng
Very rare overshooting spring migrant. At least three recent records [missing earlier records]. There was a singing bird on 22 May 2016 at Lingshan (Susanne Åkesson et al.); and one at Luchengzhen, Tongzhou on 12 May 2021 (郝建国); one on 21 May 2022 at DaYunHe Golf Club (Zhang Hui and amal amer).
Paridae 山雀科
COAL TIT Periparus ater 煤山雀 Méi shānquè
Uncommon resident in the mountains and larger parks of lowland Beijing.
Highest counts: 20 on 29 September 2018 at Baihuashan (Ryan Fuller); 20 on 14-15 July 2006 at Baicaopan (Zyu), CBR2006)
YELLOW-BELLIED TIT Periparus venustulus 黄腹山雀 Huáng fù shān què
Common passage migrant (peaking in April and October) across the city, fairly common but local breeder, primarily in the mountains, and increasingly recorded in winter since the first record in that season on 28 January 1997 at Baiwangshan (Jesper Hornskov). Increasing.
Highest count: 220+ on 16 October 2016 at Shahe Reservoir (Colm Moore)
VARIED TIT Poecile varius 杂色山雀 Zá sè shān què
Very rare vagrant. Just four records, all from the 2012-2013 winter and part of an irruption that saw birds along the east coast of China, including Shandong, Rudong in Jiangsu (20 on 13 October), Shanghai and Hong Kong. First record of two migrating west along the ridge above the Botanical Gardens on 4 October 2012 (Jesper Hornskov). Then one from 7 October to 5 November 2012 at least in the Botanical Gardens (Jesper Hornskov et al.); one on 13 January 2013 at Tongzhou Grand Canal Forest Park (via 大好); and one on 1 February 2013 at the Nirvana Hotel, Daoxianghu, NW Beijing (Paul Holt, Jennifer Leung and Terry Townshend), apparently present for “around 15 days” beforehand.
MARSH TIT Poecile palustris 沼泽山雀 Zhǎozé shānquè
Very common resident breeder. The default ‘black-capped’ tit in lowland Beijing and can be found up to [800m] in the mountains.
Highest counts: 35 on 17 October 2004 at Old Summer Palace (FON in CBR2004); 30 on 30 December 2019 at Peking University (Liu Zongzhuang)
WILLOW TIT Poecile montana 褐头山雀 Hè tóu shānquè
Common resident breeder above 500m elevation. Rare in lowland Beijing. Overlaps with Marsh Tit at some mountain sites such as Lingshan, Baihuashan and Miaofengshan.
Highest count: 50 on 3 June 2018 at Lingshan (XiaoPT)
GREEN-BACKED TIT Parus monticolus 绿背山雀 Lǜ bèishān què
Rare. One record, of unknown origin, from Nanhaizi, Daxing District on 11 April 2022 (Zhong Zhenyu), with two present on 23 May 2022 (same observer). Another was at LianHuaHe City Leisure Park, Xicheng District on 16 July 2023 (微信名).
NORTHERN GREAT TIT Parus major 大山雀 Dà shānquè
Very rare vagrant. Only one record: one on 31 March 2019 at the Wenyu River (Steve Bale).
JAPANESE TIT Parus minor 大山雀 Dà shānquè
Common resident in lowland Beijing and mountainous areas alike.
73 on 26 February 2023 in the Botanical Gardens (Daniel Gustafsson); 51 on 10 November 2018 in the Botanical Gardens (BeijingFeiyu2018)
Remizidae 攀雀科
CHINESE PENDULINE TIT Remiz consobrinus 中华攀雀 Zhōnghuá pān què
Uncommon passage migrant (peaking April and May and again in September and October), local breeder and winter visitor to wetlands. Breeds at Yeyahu, Miyun Reservoir and probably other wetland sites.
Highest count: 200 on 28 January 2020 at Yeyahu (Zhao Xiaojian)
Panuridae 文须雀科
BEARDED TIT / BEARDED REEDLING Panurus biarmicus 文须雀 Wén xū què
Formerly rare winter visitor; now an uncommon, but increasing, resident breeder, passachinese ge migrant and winter visitor to wetland sites. The number of reports, and the number of sites from which it has been reported, have increased markedly in the last ten years.
Highest count: 75 on 21 November 2019 at Yeyahu (Thomas Brooks); 70 on 28 November 2021 at Yeyahu (Liu Aitao et al.)
Alaudidae 百灵科
MONGOLIAN LARK Melanocorypha mongolica 蒙古百灵 Ménggǔ bǎilíng
Annual but erratic and irruptive passage migrant and local winter visitor, usually from mid-October to early April.
Highest count: 1,477 flew south on 15 October 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt); 500 on 23 January 2010 at Yongdinghe Daqiao (aiyuanyang, wanggangge and 及北京鸟会成员十余人 via BirdTalker).
SYKE’S (MONGOLIAN) SHORT-TOED LARK Calandrella dukhunensis 大短趾百灵 Dà duǎn zhǐ bǎilíng
Scarce passage migrant in spring (late March to April) and autumn (late August to October), sometimes in large flocks.
Highest count; 1,775 at Wild Duck Lake on 17 April 2006 (Jesper Hornskov)
ASIAN SHORT-TOED LARK Calandrella cheleensis 亚洲短趾百灵 (Yàzhōu) duǎn zhǐ bǎilíng
Scarce and local breeder, uncommon passage migrant in spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) and locally common winter visitor. Declining.
Highest count: 1,000 on 25 November 2005 at Wild Duck (Bjorn Andersson in CBR2005)
CRESTED LARK Galerida cristata 凤头百灵 Fèng tóu bǎilíng
Scarce and local resident at a few sites scattered across the municipality. Dashihe is probably the most reliable site. Occasionally seen away from breeding sites. Described as a “common resident” by Cai Qikang in 1987, this species has declined significantly in the last 30 years.
Highest counts: 20 on 26 January 2004 at Ming Tombs Reservoir, Changping (WQ in CBR2004); ten on 26 February 2006 at Shisanling Reservoir (WJ, CBR2006); ten on 3 February 1985 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Peter Kennerley)
EURASIAN SKYLARK Alauda arvensis 云雀 Yúnquè
Rare breeder, very common passage migrant – peaking in early April and early October – and winter visitor. Suspected breeding at Lingshan in 2015 (c2000m asl) and since.
Highest counts: 25,000 were counted on 18 October 2000 passing Shangjinshan, Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt); 2,265 on 9 October 2016 at Ma Chang (Paul Holt).
HORNED LARK Eremophila alpestris 角百灵 Jiǎo bǎilíng
Passage migrant and winter visitor in varying numbers, early October (exceptionally late September) to late March, with most reports coming in November and December. Has bred at Baicaopan (2023 – 李成). The vast majority are of the brandti subspecies (According to Birds of the Western Palearctic [Vol 5] the distribution of brandti is ‘steppes of lower Volga river and northern Transcaspia, E through plains of Kazakhstan to N Mongolia and W Manchuria; Altai, Tarbagatay, and E Tian Shan); it is a ‘partial migrant. The more northerly breeding, yellow-faced, flava subspecies is very rare: four on 18 December 2012 at Ma Chang (Jesper Hornskov and Terry Townshend); one on 24 October 2022 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Cinclus cinclus et al.).
Highest count: 8,824 flew south on 15 October 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt).
Pycnonotidae 鹎科
COLLARED FINCHBILL Spizixos semitorques 领雀嘴鹎 Lǐng què zuǐ bēi
A small resident population in and around the Botanical Gardens probably originates from escapes or deliberate releases. Occasional birds recorded elsewhere, including 11 on 13 December 2022 at the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Huairou District, but unclear whether this species has ever occurred in a truly wild state.
Highest count: 21 on 25 November 2018 at the Botanical Gardens (Xue Boning)
RED-WHISKERED BULBUL Pycnonotus jocosus 红耳鹎 Hóng ěr bēi
Escapes or deliberate releases occasionally reported but, as a sedentary species with a natural range in China limited to the south, it is very unlikely to have occurred in a wild state. Unlike Collared Finchbill, no self-sustaining population.
LIGHT-VENTED BULBUL Pycnonotus sinensis 白头鹎 Báitóu bēi
Very common resident breeder and passage migrant, easily visible in most parks and any green spaces. Increasing. Groups recorded on passage in spring (late March-April) and autumn (October).
Highest count: 240 on 17 October 2019 at Tongzhou – Dayunhe Forest Park (Paul Holt)
BROWN-EARED BULBUL Hypsipetes amaurotis 栗耳短脚鹎 Lì ěr duǎn jiǎo bēi
Rare winter vagrant (late October to February). Cai (1987) described it as “accidental in winter”. One was collected on 7 November 1952 at Beijing “South Gate” (Cai, 1987). More recent records include: one on 5 May 2005 at Banbidian Forest Park (CLiang, CBR2005); one on 25 December 2005 at the Botanical Gardens (SM, CBR2005); one on 9 February 2006 at the Botanical Gardens (ZLei, CBR2006); at least six were recorded in the winter of 2014-2015, beginning with three on 31 October 2014 at Yuanmingyuan Park with birds also recorded at Jingshan Park and the Olympic Forest Park from November 2014 to January 2015. In late November 2017-2018, up to four were recorded at sites including Beihai Park and Olympic Forest Park, remaining until 25 January 2018 at least. On 19 November 2019 three were recorded at Nanhaizi with up to eight birds there until January 2020 at least. Two were recorded in Yuyuantan from December 2020 (Wang Xiaobo and 世界公民) to February 2021 at least; one was in Yuyuantan on 24 November 2021 (Zichen Zhou); one was in Yuyuantan Park on 8 February 2022 (齊 凱); three on 7 November 2022 at Binhe Park, Miyun (史庆广); two on 16 November 2022 in Yuyuantan Park (Ziyan Zhao); one at Tsinghua University campus from 6 February 2023 (via Birding Tsinghua WeChat group).
Highest count: eight on 1 and 8 December 2019 at Nanhaizi (XiaoPT and Liu Aitao).
CHESTNUT BULBUL Hemixos castanonotus 栗背短脚鹎 Lì bèi duǎn jiǎo bēi
Very rare vagrant. Possibly only three records. One photographed at DaYunHe on 21 May 2022 (阿兹猫) is thought to be most likely of wild origin; one photographed at Shahe Reservoir on 11 June 2022 (李文俊 via Lu Zhuofei); and one at Jugezhuang, Miyun Reservoir on 1 July 2023 (王作明, Miyun District biodiversity survey).
Hirundinidae 燕科
SAND MARTIN Riparia riparia 崖沙燕 Yá shā yàn
A scarce passage migrant in spring (late March to early June) and autumn (August to September). Has bred, including at a colony of ‘hundreds’ near the Yongding River close to the South 5th Ring Road in 2022 (闰土).
Highest counts: 550 martins on 14 May 2017 at Yeyahu were either Sand Martins or Pale Martins. The calls of these birds were described as a little ‘drier and harsher’ than typical Sand Martin (Terry Townshend); 200 on 8 May 2005 at Shahe Reservoir (ZYQ, CBR2005)
PALE MARTIN Riparia diluta 淡色沙燕 Dàn sè shā yàn
Very rare, but possibly overlooked, passage migrant. Difficulty in separating this species from Sand Martin may cloud its true status. At least one on 7 May 2016 at Shahe (Colm Moore); two photographed on 1 May 2021 at Shahe Reservoir (Dave Guo); one martin fitting the characters of Pale Martin seen very well at the Wenyu River on 6 May 2021 (Terry Townshend) and at least one, and up to three, showing Pale Martin characters (pale and diffuse breastband, relatively pale head pattern with a pronounced dark eye) seen with Sand Martins at the ChaoBai River on 8 May 2021 (Terry Townshend et al.). A photograph of one of the ChaoBaiHe birds was confirmed as a Pale Martin (most likely the tibetana ssp) by Manuel Schweizer, the author of a paper on identification of Pale Martin in South and Central Asia. One was photographed by Ren Lipeng at Ma Chang on 29 May 2022 and one was photographed at Nanhaizi on 29 August 2022 (钟震宇).
STREAK-THROATED SWALLOW Petrochelidon fluvicola 彩石燕 Cǎi shíyàn
Very rare vagrant. Only one record: one on 4 May 2014 at Shahe Reservoir (Colm Moore). Not only a first for Beijing but a first for China! See here.
BARN SWALLOW Hirundo rustica 家燕 Jiāyàn
Very common summer breeder and passage migrant (March to October). Occasional November to February.
Highest count: 800 on 11 September 2015 at the Olympic Forest Park (Zhao Min)
EURASIAN CRAG MARTIN Ptyonoprogne rupestris 岩燕 Yányàn
Scarce and local breeder, passage migrant and occasional winter visitor, primarily to mountain gorges and river valleys in the north and west of Beijing. Recorded in all months. Has bred under highway flyovers but most records from gorges. Shidu in Fangshan District is one of the most reliable sites, with a few often seen in winter. Migrants away from traditional sites are scarce.
Highest counts: 30 on 29 June 2023 at Yanhecheng (TaQini Liu); 25 on 11 June 2005 at Shidu (ZYong, CBR2005); 25 on 30 October 2004 at the Juma River (LHY in CBR2004)
NORTHERN HOUSE MARTIN Delichon urbicum 白腹毛脚燕 Bái fù máo jiǎo yàn
Rare passage migrant with most records in late April/early May and just two autumn records (September). Recent records include: one on 20 April 2016 at the Summer Palace (Jesper Hornskov); one was photographed in a colony of Asian House Martins at Lingshan on 24 July 2016 (Paul Holt and Terry Townshend); one on 28 April 2017 at Shisanling (Colm Moore and Zhao Qi); one on 22 April 2018 at Shisanling (Colm Moore); one in the early morning (0600-0630) of 23 April 2020 at Shahe Reservoir (DaHao) followed by one, probably the same, at the Wenyu River from 0820-0908 the same morning (Steve Bale); one on 10 May 2020 at HuoYing (Wang Xiaobo); five on 13 September 2020 at Baiwangshan (鹪鹩 via birdreport.cn); one on 29 April 2021 at Baiwangshan (果茶2020); one on 4 May 2021 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Colm Moore); two at the ChaoBaiHe on 8 May 2021 (Terry Townshend); two on 13 April 2022 at Botanical Gardens (Dean Li); one on 26 April 2022 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Colm Moore); two on 31 May 2022 at Botanical Gardens (peng su); one on 13 May 2023 at Baiwangshan (布昕辰);10 on 21 May 2023 at the Huilongguan Dragon City Garden (蔡震波).
Highest count: 50 on 9 September 2006 at Baiwangshan (WJ, CBR2006);
ASIAN HOUSE MARTIN Delichon dasypus 烟腹毛脚燕 Yān fù máo jiǎo yàn
A scarce and local breeder in the mountains and passage migrant (April to September). Rare passage migrant in lowland Beijing.
Highest count: 30 on 23 May 1996 at Ming Tombs (Johan Fagefors)
RED-RUMPED SWALLOW Cecropis daurica 金腰燕 Jīn yāo yàn
Common summer breeder and passage migrant (late March to early October, with most leaving by the end of August).
Highest counts: 200 on 15 May 2019 at Shahe Reservoir (Steve Bale); 200 on 12 September 2004 at Miyun Reservoir (PH in CBR2004).
Cettiidae.树莺科
RUFOUS-FACED WARBLER Abroscopus albogularis 棕脸鹟莺 Zōng-liǎn wēng-yīng
Rare vagrant. Three records in spring 2020: one in the “first week of April” in Haidian District, a second on 16 April 2020 at the Temple of Heaven Park (via Wang Xue), and one at Xiaolongmen on 13 May (Su Liang and te te); one on 9 April 2022 at Kangxi Grassland (Hu Xihua); two at Shahe Reservoir on 26 April 2022 (Jun Shuai et al.). One in the Botanical Gardens on 9 June 2022 (Yang Hong, Mike Cao and Wang Wenlong), reported again on 25 July 2022 (飞 夏).
MANCHURIAN BUSH WARBLER Cettia canturians 远东树莺 Yuǎndōng shù yīng
Locally common breeder in the mountains and occasional passage migrant in lowland Beijing (late March to October). Recorded in all months but rare in winter (November to February).
Highest count: 25 on 11 June 2019 at Laoyugou (XiaoPT)
BROWNISH-FLANKED BUSH WARBLER Horornis fortipes 强脚树莺 Qiáng-jiǎo shù-yīng
Rare, presumably overshooting summer migrant. Since the first documented record on 12 June 2016 at Baihuashan (Jan-Erik Nilsén), there have been several reports from multiple sites, mostly in the mountains including Lingshan, Xiaolongmen, Yudushan, Laoyugou, Qianlingshan and DaAnShan but also from a few lowland sites including Beijing Normal University. Reported from Baihuashan for three consecutive summers (2016-2018). An increase in reports may be explained by more observer coverage and greater awareness of the song of this skulky species, possibly combined with a genuine northerly range expansion but beware confusion with Manchurian Bush Warbler.
ASIAN STUBTAIL Urosphena squameiceps 鳞头树莺 Lín tóu shù yīng
Locally common breeder in the mountains around Beijing and a scarce passage migrant to lowland Beijing (April to early October).
Highest count: 15 on 31 May at Xiaolongmen (LY, CBR2006)
Aegithalidae 长尾山雀科
NORTHERN LONG-TAILED TIT Aegithalos caudatus 北长尾山雀 Běi cháng wěi shān què
Rare winter vagrant (October to March). Recent records include: one on 9 November 2007 in the Temple of Heaven Park (CW, CBR2007); one on 31 December 2014 in the Olympic Forest Park (Jesper Hornskov); one at the same site on 3 December 2015 (Paul Holt and Wang Qingyu) and presumably the same on 7 and 21 February 2016 at the same site (Kevin Cheng and Fishing Cat); c15 at the Wenyu River on 11 October 2018 (Steve Bale); 1 at Laoyugou on 9 November 2019 (Wang Xiaobo, XiaoPT); one on 27 November 2020 at Yuanmingyuan (孟帅 葛 et al.), remaining until 26 February 2021 at least; two on 4 January 2021 in Chaoyang Park (Stefan Andrew); one on 9 January 2021 at Nanhaizi (李云帆); one reported on 22 February 2023 at the Western Hills (蓝色火焰); one at Lingshan on 5 March 2023 (Terry Townshend).
SILVER-THROATED TIT Aegithalos glaucogularis 银喉长尾山雀 Yín hóu cháng wěi shān què
Common resident breeder and short-distance migrant in urban and rural Beijing.
Highest count: 100 on 15 October 2020 at Yeyahu (Hu Ruocheng); 52 on 21 November 2019 at Yeyahu (Thomas Brooks)
BLACK-THROATED TIT Aegithalos concinnus 红头长尾山雀 Hóngtóu cháng wěi shān què
Rare. Thought to be sedentary and with a distribution largely south of the Yellow River, the occasional records in Beijing may relate to escapes and/or deliberate releases or could be symptomatic of a northerly range expansion? Recent records: one on 3 January 2018 at Tsinghua University; and at least one in the grounds of the Beijing Zoo 9-15 January 2019 at least.
Phylloscopidae 柳莺科
WILLOW WARBLER Phylloscopus trochilus 欧柳莺 Ōu liǔ yīng
Very rare vagrant. Only one record: one seen well and sound-recorded at DaYunHe Forest Park on 20 September 2023 (Paul Holt).
(SIBERIAN) CHIFFCHAFF Phylloscopus collybita tristis 叽喳柳莺 Jī chā liǔ yīng
Very rare vagrant. At least seven records: one reported from Baiwangshan in February 2008 (no further details); one from 6-25 January 2014 at least in the Olympic Forest Park (found by photographers and identified by Li Xiaomai); one on 29 September 2016 at Yeyahu (Paul Holt); one on 10 November 2018 at Yeyahu (Lou Fangzhou); one from 24 January to 1 February 2020 at least at the eastern end of Shahe Reservoir (Dahe@Beijing et al.); and one on 14-16 January 2022 at least in the Botanical Gardens (pinky et al.); one on 28 October 2022 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Colm Moore).
WOOD WARBLER Phylloscopus sibilatrix 林柳莺 Lín liǔ-yīng
Very rare vagrant. Only one record: 14 September 2018 at Yeyahu (Paul Holt)
DUSKY WARBLER Phylloscopus fuscatus 褐柳莺 Hè liǔ yīng
Common passage migrant in spring (April to early June) and autumn (late August to late October) in any area of scrub or cover. Double figure counts not unusual. Rare in winter.
Highest count: 30 on 14 September 2019 at Laoyugou (XiaoPT)
BUFF-THROATED WARBLER Phylloscopus subaffiinis 棕腹柳莺 Zōng fù liǔ yīng
Very rare. Only one record: one on 28 September 2014 found in an illegal mist net at the Wenyu River (found by Steve Bale and identified by Per Alström from photos).
YELLOW-STREAKED WARBLER Phylloscopus armandii 棕眉柳莺 Zōng méi liǔ yīng
Common breeder in the mountains and scarce passage migrant in lowland Beijing (May to early October). Possibly overlooked due to difficulty in separating non-calling birds from Radde’s Warbler.
Highest count: 35 on 11 June 2019 at Laoyugou (XiaoPT)
RADDE’S WARBLER Phylloscopus schwarzi 巨嘴柳莺 Jù zuǐ liǔ yīng
Passage migrant in spring (mid- to late April to early June) and in autumn (late August to early October). Can be found in scrubby areas in urban and rural areas alike.
Highest count: 52 on 24 September 2023 at Shahe Reservoir (Paul Holt); 25 on 20 May 2023 at DaNing Reservoir (Oriental Stork); 25 on 17 May 2013 at the Wenyu River (Steve Bale)
ASHY-THROATED WARBLER Phylloscopus maculipennis 灰喉柳莺 Huī-hóu liǔ-yīng
Very rare vagrant. Only one record: one on 10 May 2019 at Baihuashan (He Wenbo). See here.
CHINESE LEAF WARBLER Phylloscopus yunnanensis 云南柳莺 Yúnnán liǔ yīng
Locally common breeder in the mountains and a scarce passage migrant in lowland Beijing (April to October).
Highest count: 60 on 8 July 2022 at Lingshan (Oriental Stork); 50 on 16 May 2018 at Lingshan (Max Breckenridge)
PALLAS’S LEAF WARBLER Phylloscopus proregulus 黄腰柳莺 Huáng yāo liǔ yīng
Common passage migrant in spring (peaking April and early May) and autumn (peaking late September to early November) and uncommon winter visitor. Rare in June, July and August.
Highest count: 100 on 17 April 2013 at the Wenyu River (Steve Bale)
YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER Phylloscopus inornatus 黄眉柳莺 Huángméiliǔ yīng
Passage migrant in spring (April and May, peaking late April) and autumn (late August to October, peaking in the second half of September). Rare in late June, July and early August and from December to February.
Highest count: 50 on 8 September 2018 at the Olympic Forest Park (XiaoPT)
HUME’S LEAF WARBLER Phylloscopus humei mandellii 淡眉柳莺 Dàn méi liǔ yīng
Local breeder in the mountains and scarce, but possibly overlooked, passage migrant in lowland Beijing (mid-April to September).
Highest count: 30 on 20 May 2006 at Baicaopan (LY, CBR2006)
KAMCHATKA WARBLER Phylloscopus examinandus 堪察加柳莺 Kān chá jiā liǔ yīng
Very rare, but possibly overlooked, passage migrant. Only one record, a singing and calling bird at Ming Tombs Reservoir on 1 June 2021 that was sound-recorded (Colm Moore). The identification was confirmed by Professor Per Alström.
ARCTIC WARBLER Phylloscopus borealis 极北柳莺 Jí běi liǔ yīng
Passage migrant in spring (late April to early June, peaking in mid-May) and autumn (late August to September, peaking in early September). Rare in October.
Highest count: 40 on 19 May 2008 at the Botanical Gardens (Richard Dunn)
GREENISH WARBLER Phylloscopus trochiloides 暗绿柳莺 Àn lǜ liǔ yīng
A small breeding population of suspected obscuratus Greenish Warblers was found on 17 June 2016 at Lingshan, Mentougou District, in an area just below the peak on the border with Hebei Province (Paul Holt and Terry Townshend). The birds were sound-recorded and DNA samples taken. Currently awaiting the publication of the results.
TWO-BARRED WARBLER Phylloscopus plumbeitarsus 双斑绿柳莺 Shuāng bān lǜ liǔ yīng
Passage migrant in spring (end of April to early June, peaking in mid-late May) and in autumn (late August to early October, peaking in the first half of September). Rare in summer.
Highest count: 60 on 20 May 2023 at DaNing Reservoir (Oriental Stork); 20 on 9 May 2008 at the Botanical Gardens (Richard Dunn)
PALE-LEGGED LEAF WARBLER Phylloscopus tenellipes 淡脚柳莺 Dàn jiǎo liǔ yīng
Rare passage migrant in spring (May) and autumn (late August and September).
EASTERN CROWNED WARBLER Phylloscopus coronatus 冕柳莺 Miǎn liǔ yīng
Common breeder in the mountains and a reasonably common passage migrant in lowland Beijingd (mid- to late April to late September).
Highest count: 15 on 31 May 2003 at Songshan Nature Reserve (Steve Bale)
CLAUDIA’S LEAF WARBLER Phylloscopus claudiae 冠纹柳莺 Guān wén liǔ yīng
Locally common summer breeder in the mountains. Scarce on passage in lowland Beijing (late April to late September).
Highest count: 96 on 10 June 2018 at Baihuashan (Jan-Erik Nilsén)
SULPHUR-BREASTED WARBLER Phylloscopus ricketti 黑眉柳莺 Hēi méi liǔ yīng
Very rare spring overshooting migrant. At least four records: two from Temple of Heaven Park (dates and observers unknown); one on 5 April 2017 at Nanhaizi (Guo Geng); and one on 14 April 2022 at Yudushan, Yanqing District (Chen Chen).
GREY-CROWNED WARBLER Phylloscopus tephrocephalus 灰冠鹟莺 Huī guān wēng yīng
Very rare vagrant. One was photographed in Yuanmingyuan Park on 17 May 2021 (Song Huiqiang et al.)
BIANCHI’S WARBLER Seicercus valentini 比氏鹟莺 Bǐ shì wēng yīng
Very rare vagrant. Only one documented record: a calling bird on 8 May 2019 at the Wenyu River (Paul Holt); one previous report ‘in early May’ 2004 at Xiaolongmen, Mengtougou (WN in CBR2004).
ALSTRÖM’S WARBLER Seicercus soror 淡尾鹟莺 Dàn wěi wēng yīng
Recently discovered local breeder in the mountains with most records from Lingshan and Xiaolongmen in May and June. Rare in lowland Beijing.
Highest count: seven on 26 June 2019 at Xiaolongmen (Steve Bale)
CHESTNUT-CROWNED WARBLER Seicercus castaniceps 栗头鹟莺 Lì tóu wēng yīng
Very rare vagrant. Two records. One on 6 May 2018 at the Temple of Heaven Park (游击队长). See here; and one singing bird on 17 April 2018 at Ma Chang (Paul Holt). Both racially identified as sinensis.
Acrocephalidae 苇莺科
ORIENTAL REED WARBLER Acrocephalus orientalis 东方大苇莺 Dōngfāng dà wěi yīng
Locally very common summer breeder in suitable wetland habitat (May to early October). Main arrival is in the second half of May. Large colonies at Yeyahu, Huairou and Miyun Reservoirs and also breeds in reedbeds in urban parks such as the Olympic Forest Park and Yuanmingyuan.
Highest count: 150 on 16 June 2018 at Yeyahu (David Kirsch)
BLACK-BROWED REED WARBLER Acrocephalus bistrigiceps 黑眉苇莺 Hēi méi wěi yīng
Common passage migrant in spring (mid-May to June) and autumn (mid-August to late October). Rare in July and November.
Highest count: 50 on 25 May 2019 at Binhe Forest Park (Zheng Qiuyang)
STREAKED REED WARBLER Acrocephalus sorghophilus 细纹苇莺 Xì wén wěi yīng
Very rare and decreasing passage migrant. An enigmatic and very likely endangered species. The breeding grounds remain unknown and its vocalisations have never been recorded (song described as “harsh in comparison to Black-browed Reed Warbler” by Claus Holzapfel, 2011). La Touche (1920) described this species as “very common every early autumn from about 22 August to the end of the first week in September in the small-millet crops near Qinghuangdao” (Hebei Province), and that “it passes in the same locality in May and June”. Cai (1987) described it as a passage migrant and possible summer breeder and says that specimens were collected from Dayouzhuang (Eastern suburbs) on 28 May 1962, Nanyuansanhaizi (Nanhaizi?) on 11 September 1962, Shenshucun on 25 September 1962 and Kangcun on 9 September 1964. Very few records anywhere in the last ten years. All modern Beijing records: one singing bird at the Summer Palace on 2 June 1985 (Peter Kennerley); one at Peking University campus, 23 September 2007 (Wen Chen); one at Yuanmingyuan, Haidian on 22 September 2008 (Zhu Lei); one at Wild Duck Lake on 18 October 2008 (Brian Ivon Jones); one at the Summer Palace, Haidian, Beijing on the 6 June 2009 (Paul Holt et al.); one in the Olympic Forest Park on 28-29 May 2011 (Claus Holzapfel); one on 15 June 2014 at Yanqing (Li Haitou per Chen Liang). One (adult) on 24 September 2014 at Dayunhe Forest Park, Tongzhou, Beijing (Paul Holt); one possible on 6 October 2019 at the Shunyi Patch (Terry Townshend). Spring records in the period 28 May to 16 June. Autumn records from 9 September to 18 October. Urgent research needed to discover the breeding grounds and gain a better understanding of its status.
BLUNT-WINGED WARBLER Acrocephalus concinens 钝翅苇莺 Dùn chì wěi yīng
Rare but just about annual passage migrant and possible breeder (mid-May to September). Recorded in reedbeds at Olympic Forest Park, Shahe Reservoir, Wenyu River and Yeyahu. Formerly bred at the Summer Palace.
Highest count: three on 2 June 1985 at the Summer Palace (Peter Kennerley)
MANCHURIAN REED WARBLER Acrocephalus tangorum 远东苇莺 Yuǎndōng wěi yīng
Rare passage migrant, not quite annual, in spring (second half of May and early June) and autumn (late August and September).
Highest count: at least five on 18 September 2004 at Yeyahu (LHT in CBR2004).
BLYTH’S REED WARBLER Acrocephalus dumetorun 布氏苇莺 Bù-shì wěi-yīng
Very rare vagrant with only two records: one seen and sound-recorded on 22 September 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt); one seen and sound-recorded on 5 October 2019 at Shahe Reservoir (Colm Moore).
THICK-BILLED WARBLER Iduna aedon 厚嘴苇莺 Hòu zuǐ wěi yīng
Fairly common passage migrant in spring (May and early June, peaking in late May) and autumn (mid-August to September, rarely into October). Rare in July and early August. Possibly breeds on occasion (in the mountains?) as Beijing lies at the southern edge of the breeding range.
Highest count: 32 on 23 May 2020 at the Wenyu River (Terry Townshend).
Locustellidae 短翅莺科
BAIKAL (DAVID’S) BUSH WARBLER Bradypterus davidi 北短翅莺 Běi duǎn chì yīng
Scarce passage migrant in spring (late May and early June) and autumn (late August to early October).
Highest count: eight on 1 June 2021 at Shahe Reservoir (Wang Xiaobo); six on 4 June 2021 at Olympic Forest Park (Glen)
CHINESE BUSH WARBLER Bradypterus tacsanowskius 中华短翅莺 Zhōnghuá duǎn chì yīng
Rare passage migrant, usually in damp scrubby areas, and possibly a very rare breeder in the mountains. Most records in spring (last week of May and early June) and a few in autumn (September).
LANCEOLATED WARBLER Locustella lanceolata 矛斑蝗莺 Máo bān huáng yīng
Passage migrant in spring (mid-May to early June) and autumn (late August to October).
Highest count: 16 on 8 September 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt)
PALLAS’S GRASSHOPPER WARBLER Locustella certhiola 小蝗莺 Xiǎo huáng yīng
Passage migrant in spring (peaking last week of May and early June) and autumn (late August and September).
Highest count: 15 on 6 June 2021 at Yongdinghe/Xiaoyue Lake (Oriental Stork); 15 on 29 May 2019 at DaShiHe (XiaoPT).
MARSH GRASSBIRD Locustella pryeri 斑背大尾莺 Bān bèi dà wěi yīng
Rare passage migrant in spring (late May and June) and autumn (late August to early October). Very rare in July. Bred in 2023 (possibly two pairs) at 园博园功能湿地及晓月湖芦苇 (the so-called “Functional Reedbed”) in Fengtai (via Oriental Stork) with two juveniles seen in early August. A recently-fledged juvenile was also seen at DaYunHe on 25 August 2023 (Paul Holt).
Highest count: three singing birds at Yeyahu on 26-27 May 2016 (Terry Townshend, Dick Newell, Rob Jolliffe)
GRAY’S GRASSHOPPER WARBLER Locustella fasciolata 苍眉蝗莺 Cāng méi huáng yīng
Presumably a very rare passage migrant in late May and early June and again in September. [missing records]
Cisticolidae 扇尾莺科
ZITTING CISTICOLA Cisticola juncidis 棕扇尾莺 Zōng shàn wěi yīng
Common summer breeder to grassy and scrubby habitats and passage migrant (mid-April to mid-October). Rare in winter (records in November, December, January and February).
Highest count: 60 at Miyun Reservoir on 26 August 2015 (Paul Holt and Terry Townshend)
PLAIN PRINIA Prinia inortata 纯色山鹪莺 chún-sè shān-jiāo-yīng
Very rare vagrant. One record: one singing on 7-8 May 2019 at least at the Wenyu River (Steve Bale).
YELLOW-BELLIED PRINIA Prinia flaviventris 黄腹山鹪莺 huáng-fù shān-jiāo-yīng
Very rare vagrant. One record: two on 5 June 2019 at Xuanwu Park, Xicheng District (Zhu Yanning)
Leiothrichidae 噪鹛科
CHINESE HWAMEI Leucodioptron canorum 画眉 Huàméi
Recorded in all months but, with a natural range primarily to the south of the Yangtze and being sedentary, all records in Beijing almost certainly relate to escapes or deliberate releases. Hwamei is a very popular cagebird.
PERE DAVID’S (PLAIN) LAUGHINGTHRUSH Pterorhinus davidi 山噪鹛 Shān zào méi
Common resident in the mountains; uncommon in lowland Beijing.
Highest count: 34 on 5 January 2014 on the ridge above the Botanical Gardens (Jesper Hornskov, Jennifer Leung, Zhu Lei, Mark Maddock and Terry Townshend)
Sylviidae 莺鹛科
BARRED WARBLER Sylvia nisoria 横斑林莺 Héng bān lín yīng
Very rare vagrant. One historical record: a “young bird” which was described as “like Sylvia nisoria but much-less banded on the underparts” was captured by Père David sometime between autumn 1862 and autumn 1867 (David, 1877) .
LESSER WHITETHROAT Sylvia curruca 白喉林莺 Báihóu lín yīng
Rare vagrant. At least sixteen records. Recent records: one on 7 April 2012 (via BirdTalker); one on 10 January to 14 April 2015 at least in the Agricultural Exhibition Center Park (Yan Shen et al.); one on 23 September 2016 in the Botanical Gardens (James Pender); one on 6 February 2017 in the Olympic Forest Park (via Paul Holt); one on 29 April 2018 in the Agricultural Exhibition Center Park (Stefan Andrew); one on 22 December 2018 at Peking University (Xing Chao et al.); one on 30 August 2019 at Ma Chang (Paul Holt); one on 23 May 2020 at Temple of Heaven Park (Stefan Andrew); one on 16 October 2020 remaining until March 2021 at least in the Agricultural Exhibition Center Park (via Zhang Xiaoling); one in Botanical Gardens on 9 August 2022 (Stefan Andrew); one on 4 February 2023 in the Agricultural Exhibition Center Park (David Consineo).
BEIJING BABBLER Rhopophilus pekinensis 山鹛 Shān méi
Common resident in the mountains; uncommon in lowland Beijing. Prefers scrubby habitats. A talented vocalist.
Highest count: 40 on 2 February 1985 at Badaling (Peter Kennerley)
VINOUS-THROATED PARROTBILL Sinosuthora webbianus 棕头鸦雀 Zōng tóu yā què
Common resident in Beijing, encountered in urban and rural areas alike. Sociable and noisy, it is most often seen in groups, sometimes of over 100 strong, especially in winter.
Highest count: 400 on 20 January 2019 at Taishitun, Miyun (XiaoPT)
REED PARROTBILL Paradoxornis heudei 震旦鸦雀 Zhèn dàn yā què
Formerly rare and now a scarce and local resident in small numbers. After one was photographed in the Olympic Forest Park on the unexpected date of 22 June 2016, which appeared to show some feather damage that may suggest a formerly captive bird, the first credible record of wild occurrence was on 24 November 2016 at Wanping Lake when at least ten birds were present. Since then, it has been recorded at many wetland sites in the city including Dashi River, Tongzhou-Dayunhe Forest Park, Shahe Reservoir, Nanhaizi, Niukouyu Reservoir, Yuanmingyuan, Yizhuang wetland, the Summer Palace and the Olympic Forest Park (but not yet Yeyahu).
Highest count: 100 on 16 January 2022 at Liulihe Wetland Park, Fangshan District (SANGSANG); 30 on 10 January 2021 at Nanhaizi (云飞扬); 20 on 14 November 2021 at Green Bank Park (Oriental Stork); 20 on 1 January 2018 at Ludi Park (Jun Yang)
Zosteropidae 绣眼鸟科
CHESTNUT-FLANKED WHITE-EYE Zosterops erythropleurus 红胁绣眼鸟 Hóng xié xiù yǎn niǎo
Relatively common passage migrant in late April and May and late August to October. Scarce outside these windows.
Highest count: 450+ on 24 September 2023 at Baiwangshan (严志文、朱浩);
300 on 30 September 2004 at Shahe Reservoir (CYZ in CBR2004)
SWINHOE’S WHITE-EYE Zosterops simplex 暗绿绣眼鸟 Àn lǜ xiù yǎn niǎo
Passage migrant and probable breeder in the hills around Beijing (late April to early November). Several recent records in June and July from the hills suggest this species could be breeding. Rarely reported in winter.
Highest count: 50 on 12 September 2018 at Badaling Forest Park (Paul Holt)
Regulidae 戴菊科
GOLDCREST Regulus regulus 戴菊 Dài jú
Uncommon winter visitor from September to May, most often seen in the well-watched larger parks such as Chaoyang Park, Olympic Forest Park, Botanical Gardens, Summer Palace and Yuanmingyuan.
Highest count: 30 on 17 November 2019 at Chaoyang Park (Li Zhaonan)
Troglodytidae 鹪鹩科
WINTER WREN Troglodytes troglodytes 鹪鹩 Jiāo liáo
Local breeder in the mountains and an uncommon winter visitor to lowland Beijing, primarily from late October to March, usually near water.
Highest count: ten on 2 June 2019 at Lingshan (Fishing Cat)
Sittidae 鳾科
EURASIAN NUTHATCH Sitta europaea 普通䴓 Pǔtōng shī
Locally common resident in the mountains and sometimes recorded in the larger parks of lowland Beijing, such as the Botanical Gardens. Two races occur – sinensis and amurensis.
Highest count: 30 on 1 October 2018 at Xiaolongmen (BeijingFeyu2018)
CHINESE NUTHATCH Sitta villosa 黑头䴓 Hēitóu shī
Resident in the hills and larger parks of the capital. Mostly tied to woodland with coniferous trees. The Botanical Gardens is probably the most reliable site.
Highest counts: 20 on 25 February 2018 at the Botanical Gardens (Liu Zongzhuang); 20 on 4 September 2004 at Sizuolou NR, Pingu (L in CBR2004).
Tichidromidae 悬壁雀科
WALLCREEPER Tichodroma muraria 红翅旋壁雀 Hóng chì xuán bì què
Rare, but annual, winter visitor (late October to mid-February). By far the most reliable location is Shidu in Fangshan District where photographers regularly attract wintering birds with meal worms. Also recorded at Yanhecheng and Zhenzhu Hu in Mentougou District, Longshenmiao in Fangshan District, and an exceptional lowland record from the Longdao River, Shunyi, on 11 and 12 November 2018 (Terry Townshend).
Highest count: three on 15 December 2019 at Shidu (Li Zhaonan)
Certhiidae 旋木雀科
EURASIAN TREECREEPER Certhia familiaris 旋木雀 Xuán mù què
Rare winter visitor (October to March) with around ten records. One was collected on 30 October 1962 in the Temple of Heaven Park (Cai, 1987); one on 27 November 2007 at Peking University of Aeronautics and Astronauxtics, with two there on 4 December (HJ, TJL, CBR2007); singles on 9 December, 16 December and 19 December 2007 at Peking University (WC), Temple of Heaven Park (LJia) and Yuan Dynasty Relic Park (CW); one was photographed in Ritan Park in March 2011; an exceptional two records in winter 2019-2020 included a popular individual in Chaoyang Park from 12 November 2019 until January 2020 at least; one was photographed at the Temple of Heaven Park, present from 15 January at least (WeChat name: VianVivian) and seen again on 8 February 2020 (XiaoPT); one on 21 March 2021 at Xiaolongmen (Jun Yang); one on 2 February 2021 at Xiaolongmen (Oriental Stork).
Sturnidae 椋鸟科
CRESTED MYNA Acridotheres cristatellus 八哥 Bāgē
Locally common resident across the city, mostly in larger parks and around human habitation. The origin of Beijing’s population is unknown but, given the traditional range of this species is south and central China, coupled with its largely sedentary habits, it is likely to have originated from escaped or deliberately released captive birds. The species was not included in Cai’s Birds of Beijing (1987) suggesting it is a recent colonist.
Highest count: 35 on 3 June 2002 at the Summer Palace (Jan Smith)
RED-BILLED STARLING Spodiopsar sericeus 丝光椋鸟 Sīguāng liáng niǎo
Uncommon but increasing summer breeder with some remaining in the capital in winter. First recorded in 2002. Most records from the Botanical Gardens, Peking University and the Temple of Heaven Park. As with Crested Myna, the natural range of this species in China is primarily south of the Yellow River. Beijing’s population may well have originated from escapes or deliberate releases but seems to be thriving and slowly expanding.
Highest count: 31 on 28 October 2018 at Nanhaizi (Guan Xueyan)
WHITE-CHEEKED STARLING Spodiopsar cineraceus 灰椋鸟 Huī liáng niǎo
Common resident breeder, passage migrant and winter visitor. Although easy to see in parks and urban areas all year round, at least some Beijing breeders probably migrate south. Often encountered in flocks, in particular in spring an autumn, when birds are on passage to and from breeding grounds further north.
Highest count: 658 on 11 November 2005 at Yuyuantan (HXR, CBR2005)
PURPLE-BACKED (DAURIAN) STARLING Agropsar sturninus 北椋鸟 Běi liáng niǎo
Local breeder, in particular on some of the university campuses, and scarce passage migrant in late April and May and again in August and September.
Highest count: eight on 15 June 2014 at the Summer Palace (Mark Davidson)
CHESTNUT-CHEEKED STARLING 紫背椋鸟 Zǐ bèi liáng niǎo
One record of a male (of unknown origin) photographed in Yuanmingyuan on 30 May 2021 by 陈惠杰.
COMMON STARLING Sturnus vulgaris 紫翅椋鸟 Zǐ chì liáng niǎo
Scarce, but possibly increasing, passage migrant in spring (March to early May, peaking in early April) and autumn (late September to early November, peaking mid-October). Rare outside these windows. Most reliable sites are Yeyahu/Ma Chang and Miyun Reservoir.
Highest count: 180 on 22 October 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Steve Bale, Paul Holt, Terry Townshend, Ben Wielstra)
Turdidae 鸫科
ORANGE-HEADED THRUSH Zoothera citrina 橙头地鸫 Chéng-tóu dì-dōng
Very rare vagrant. At least two records: one on 22 May 2011 at the Temple of Heaven Park (Qinghua Shoucan) – see here; one photographed on 13 October 2017 in the Agricultural Exhibition Center (Yu Huashi).
SIBERIAN THRUSH Zoothera sibirica 白眉地鸫 Báiméi di dōng
Rare passage migrant in spring (May) and autumn (September and October).
Highest count: three (females) on 16 September 2013 in the UK Ambassador’s residence garden (Terry Townshend)
WHITE’S THRUSH Zoothera aurea 怀氏虎鸫 Huái shì hǔ dōng
Scarce passage migrant in spring (April and May, peaking in the first half of May) and autumn (September and October, peaking in the last week of September). Rare in winter. Multiple birds were heard in late May 2021 at Lingshan, possibly indicating breeding.
Highest count: four on 23 September 2007 at Temple of Heaven Park (Lja, CBR2007)
GREY-BACKED THRUSH Turdus hortulorum 灰背鸫 Huī bèi dōng
Rare breeder, scarce passage migrant and rare winter visitor. Most records April and May and September and October; proof of breeding in 2019 when an adult was recorded feeding young on a camera trap in Miyun District (Terry Townshend).
JAPANESE THRUSH Turdus cardis 乌灰鸫 Wū huī dōng
Very rare winter visitor and passage migrant. A male was at Peking University in December 2013 (via Li Xiaomai). Another was at the Agricultural Exhibition Center from 23 October 2017 until 3 March 2018 at least (Zhen Niu et al.); one was at the Temple of Heaven Park on 3 November 2022 (余凤中); one was in the Olympic Forest Park (North Park) on 26 May 2023 (学客).
GREY-WINGED BLACKBIRD Turdus boulboul 灰翅鸫 Huī chì dōng
A rare and local summer visitor and likely breeder. Currently known only from Lingshan, where the first record – a singing male – was discovered on 18 June 2016 (Terry Townshend) with at least three singing males on 24th June (Terry Townshend, Paul Holt et al.). At least three singing males were present at the same site on 27 May 2017 (Terry Townshend et al.) and at least one on 25 June 2019 (Steve Bale and Paul Holt). At least one singing male was present in July 2022 (Liu Aitao).
CHINESE BLACKBIRD Turdus mandarinus 乌鸫 Wū dōng
A fairly common but local resident, particularly in urban areas such as the large parks, embassy district and in Shunyi. Some movement in spring and autumn and arrivals of birds sometimes recorded.
Highest counts: 80 on 25 April 2020 at Temple of Heaven Park (Hui Cui); 62 on 28 October 2022 at the Wenyu River (Terry Townshend); 62 on 20 October 2018 at the Wenyu River (Steve Bale).
CHESTNUT THRUSH Turdus rubrocanus 灰头鸫 Huī tóu dōng
Very rare. Two records. The first involved two sightings of almost certainly the same individual: one photographed in the Olympic Forest Park on 19 November 2017 (夕阳红, Xīyáng hóng, Birdnet.cn name); and presumably the same on 23 February 2018 at the same site (Hu Xuehui 胡雪卉). The second record was on 25 December 2020 when one was photographed in the Olympic Forest Park (Ren Tianyi and Liu Garbo).
BLACK-BREASTED THRUSH Turdus dissimilis 陈惠杰 Hēi xiōng dōng
One record of a singing bird thought to be this species, photographed on 30 May 2021 at Wanling Village, Miyun District (孙福满). From subsequent analysis of the image, the bird showed some dark spotting on the underparts, inconsistent with a pure bird and possibly a sign of hybridisation.
GREY-SIDED THRUSH Turdus feae 褐头鸫 Hè tóu dōng
A scarce and local summer breeder in the mountains (April to September). Rare on passage in lowland Beijing (mid-May and September).
Highest count: 30 on 2 July 2005 at Baicaopan (LiX, CBR2005)
EYEBROWED THRUSH Turdus obscurus 白眉鸫 Báiméi dōng
Scarce passage migrant in spring (April and May, with most records in mid-May) and autumn (September and October, peaking mid-September). Most records come from the larger parks in the city such as Temple of Heaven Park and the Olympic Forest Park, as well as university campuses.
Highest count: ten on 14 May 2021 at Temple of Heaven Park (Jun Shuai); six on 13 May 2010 at the Temple of Heaven (Li Zhaonan)
PALE THRUSH Turdus pallidus 白腹鸫 Bái fù dōng
Rare winter visitor and passage migrant from September to May.
BROWN-HEADED THRUSH Turdus chrysolaus 赤胸鸫 Chì xiōng dōng
Very rare vagrant. One record from Peking University campus (Chen Wei and Weng Cheng, date unknown).
BLACK-THROATED THRUSH Turdus atrogularis 黑颈鸫 Hēi jǐng dōng
Uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant, primarily October to April. Rare outside this period. The least common of the four ‘winter thrushes’ behind Naumann’s, Red-throated and Dusky. Intergrades with Red-throated Thrush are rare.
Highest count: 25 on 9 April 2006 at Shahe Reservoir (LHY, CBR2006)
RED-THROATED THRUSH Turdus ruficollis 赤颈鸫 Chì jǐng dōng
Common winter visitor and passage migrant (late September to early May). The most common ‘dark-throated’ thrush by some margin. Intergrades with Black-throated Thrush are rare. Intergrades with other winter thrushes are rarer.
Highest count: 450 on 3 February 1985 at Ming Tombs (Peter Kennerley)
NAUMANN’S THRUSH Turdus naumanni 红尾鸫 Hóng wěi dōng
The most common of the winter thrushes, especially in lowland Beijing (late September to early May). Largest arrivals in November and most have departed by early April). Intergrades with Dusky Thrush frequently reported.
Highest count: 345 on 16 November 2019 at Yeyahu (Paul Holt)
DUSKY THRUSH Turdus eunomus 斑鸫 Bān dōng
Common winter visitor and passage migrant (mid-September to mid-May). Intergrades with Naumann’s Thrush frequently reported. One on 27 June 2005 at Lingshan a rare summer record.
Highest count: 135 on 7 November 2015 at Mutianyu Great Wall (David Stejskal)
FIELDFARE Turdus pilaris 田鸫 Tián dōng
Very rare vagrant with only three confirmed records: one on 10 December 2017 at Lingshan, photographed by Zhang Bing; one on 31 December 2022 at the Peking University Changping campus (颜子轲, 蔡柏阳, 陈肇洧, 李源昊), which stayed into February 2023 at least, and one photographed at Lingshan on 4 February 2023 (Ge Mengshuai et al.)
REDWING Turdus iliacus 白眉歌鸫 Báiméi gē dōng
Very rare vagrant. Just six records, all since 2016 suggesting this species may have been previously overlooked. One from 6-14 April 2016 at least at the Institute of Botany, Botanical Gardens (via Jesper Hornskov); one on 5 December 2018 until 19th at least at Tsinghua University campus (Steve Bale); one on 7 and 14 January 2020 at Huairou (Terry Townshend and Steve Bale); one on 18 February 2021 at the Institute of Botany, Botanical Gardens (Wang Qihan); one on 3 & 4 April 2022 at the Temple of Heaven Park (Lou Fangzhou, Liu Aitao et al.); two photographed at Peking University Changping campus (XiShan) on 30 December 2022 (李源昊), staying into February 2023.
CHINESE THRUSH Turdus mupinensis 宝兴歌鸫 Bǎo xìng gē dōng
A scarce and local breeder in the mountains and a passage migrant in lowland Beijing (arriving mid-April and departing October). Rare in winter.
Highest count: seven on 2 June 2018 at Lingshan (Terry Townshend)
Muscicapidae 鹟科
EUROPEAN ROBIN Erithacus rubecula 欧亚鸲 Ōu yà qú
Very rare vagrant. Only six records: one in the grounds of Peking University on 16 December 2007 (Chen Wei); one on 10 November until 9 December 2014 at least in the Temple of Heaven Park; one on 8 January to 4 February 2019 at least in the grounds of Beijing Zoo (present “for several weeks” before 8 January according to photographers); one found on 30 November 2020 at Temple of Heaven Park (via Wang Xue); one on 1 May 2021 at Peking University campus (杨皓); one reported on 16 January 2022 at Haidian Park, Haidian District (finder unknown); one on 23 December 2022 to 1 January 2023 at least at the Wenyu River (张峰沁).
JAPANESE ROBIN Erithacus akahige 日本歌鸲 Rìběn gē qú
Very rare vagrant. Two records: one in “late November” (year?) in the Botanical Gardens; one on 23-27 November 2012 at least in Lianhua Chi Park (per Zhu Lei).
BLUETHROAT Luscinia svecica 蓝喉歌鸲 Lán hóu gē qú
Passage migrant in late April and May and again in September and October.
Highest counts: 13+ on 29 April 2018 at Shisanling (Colm Moore); 13 on 24 September 2016 at the Shunyi Patch (Terry Townshend)
SIBERIAN RUBYTHROAT Luscinia calliope 红喉歌鸲 Hóng hóu gē qú
Fairly common passage migrant in spring (May) and autumn (mid-August to early October, peaking in mid-September). An exceptional winter record on 31 December 2019 at Nanhaizi (Terry Townshend)
Highest count: 11 on 19 September 2018 at Yeyahu (Paul Holt)
SIBERIAN BLUE ROBIN Luscinia cyane 蓝歌鸲 Lán gē qú
Local breeder in the mountains and a passage migrant in lowland Beijing (April to September).
Highest count: 31 on 10 June 2018 at Baihuashan (Jan-Erik Nilsén)
RUFOUS-TAILED ROBIN Luscinia sibilans 红尾歌鸲 Hóng wěi gē qú
Rare passage migrant in spring (mid- to late May) and autumn (late August to October). Most records in autumn.
Highest count: four on 5 October 2019 at Temple of Heaven Park (Li Zhaonan)
RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL Tarsiger cyanurus 红胁蓝尾鸲 Hóng xié lán wěi qú
Common passage migrant, uncommon winter visitor and a scarce and local breeder. Two races in Beijing. Nominate race is a common passage migrant in spring (late March to early May, peaking in the first half of April) and autumn (late September and October, peaking in the second half of October), and an uncommon winter visitor. The vocally distinct race albocoeruleus was discovered at Lingshan in June 2015 (Jan-Erik Nilsén) and has since been found to be a local breeder in the mountains around Beijing. A paper published in July 2022 recommended that the albocoerulus race should be recognised as a separate species (see below).
Highest count: 30 on 9 October 2016 at Tsinghua University (XiaoPT)
QILIAN BLUETAIL Tarsiger albocoeruleus 祁连山蓝尾鸲 Qíliánshān lán wěi qú
Rare and local summer visiting breeder in Beijing’s mountains (first recorded in June 2015 at Lingshan by Jan-Erik Nilsén). Vocally distinct from T.cyanurus, this taxa has subsequently been recorded from other mountains, including Haituoshan. Recommended as a split from T. cyanurus in July 2022. See paper here.
ALA SHAN REDSTART Phoenicurus alaschanicus 贺兰山红尾鸲 Hèlánshān hóng wěi qú
Very rare winter visitor. At least six records. Shaw (1936) states that Rev.Wilder observed one “in the mission of his compound of Tsung-hsien” and “A Synopsis of the Avifauna of China” (Cheng Tso-hsin, 1987) describes Przevalski’s (Alashan) Redstart as “Accidentally in Tongxian of Beijing Municipality”. Tongxian (which may be an alternative spelling of “Tsung-hsien”) is an area in the south-east part of Beijing Municipality and these two references may refer to the same record. One was recorded at Xiaolongmen in a winter survey 1992-1994, date unspecified (per Li Ming – reference: Sun X, Wang l, “Ecological analysis and classification of forest bird communities at XiaoLongMen, Beijing”, Chinese journal of ecology, 2001, 20(5):25-31 ); one female at Lingshan on 30 November 2013 (Terry Townshend); a male on 15 February 2014, until 8 March at least, when it was joined by a female, presumably the female bird from November 2013 (Terry Townshend); a male on 20 November 2014 at Lingshan (Breght Vanddenberghe) and three (a male and two females) at Lingshan on 29 December 2014 (Zhao Min et al.).
BLACK REDSTART Phoenicurus ochruros 赭红尾鸲 Zhě hóng wěi qú
Very rare vagrant. Perhaps five records; details of three here: one in November and December 1975 at Baihuashan Baicaoping, Mentougou District (Cai, 1987); one on 9 November 2014 at Lingshan (Terry Townshend); and one on 24 October 2015 at Miaofengshan (Colm Moore).
WHITE-THROATED REDSTART Phoenicurus schisticeps 白喉红尾鸲 Bái hóu hóng wěi qú
Very rare winter visitor. Only four records, three of which were in winter 2018-2019. After one was discovered on the Hebei side of Lingshan, just 250m from the border with Beijing on 14 November 2018 (Steve Bale and Terry Townshend), a male was found on 30 November 2018 at Miaofengshan (Colm Moore), the first Beijing record; then, on 8 February 2019 on the Beijing side of Lingshan, a male was seen (Terry Townshend, XiaoPT and DaHao), with up to three (two males and a female) recorded at the same site until 25 February 2019 at least. Completing a remarkable winter for this species, a male was photographed in the Botanical Gardens on 24 February 2019 (Jiang Wenyue). On 1 January 2022 a female was photographed at Lingshan (Lou Fangzhou).
DAURIAN REDSTART Phoenicurus auroreus 北红尾鸲 Běi hóng wěi qú
Common breeder in the hills and mountains, common passage migrant in lowland Beijing, peaking in April and October, and uncommon winter visitor, mostly to parks.
Highest count: 30 on 3 April 2018 at Yanhecheng (BeijingFeiyu2018)
WHITE-WINGED REDSTART Phoenicurus erythrogastrus 红腹红尾鸲 Hóng fù hóng wěi qú
Local winter visitor to the mountains, generally above 1,500m asl. Has been recorded annually since 2013 when 17 were seen on 26 February at Lingshan. Almost all records from Lingshan or other western mountains. Arrives in Beijing late October with largest numbers recorded in November. Most depart by mid-March.
Highest count: 40 on 16 November 2019 at Lingshan (Zhu Haoqiang)
BLUE-FRONTED REDSTART Phoenicurus frontalis 蓝额红尾鸲 Lán é hóng wěi qú
Very rare vagrant. Only two records, possibly relating to the same bird: a female found at Shahe Reservoir on 27 November 2021 by 霍圣哲 (Huò Shèngzhé), known as Oriental Stork (东方白鹳), and 高孝延 (Gāo Xiàoyán); and on 7th December 2021 a female was seen in the Botanical Gardens (98号电车 – WeChat name). The bird from Shahe Reservoir relocating or a different individual?
WHITE-BELLIED REDSTART Hodgsonius phaenicuroides 白腹短翅鸲 Bái fù duǎn chì qú
A local summer breeder in the mountains (late May to July). Very rare on passage in lowland Beijing.
Highest count: ten on 14 July 2006 at Baicaopan (Zyu, CBR2006)
PLUMBEOUS WATER REDSTART Rhyacornis fuliginosa 红尾水鸲 Hóng wěi shuǐ qú
Scarce and local resident, primarily along relatively fast-moving streams and rivers in the mountains and hills. Rare in lowland Beijing in winter.
Highest count: 20 on 25 December 2005 at the Juma River (Shidu), Fangshan (LiX, CBR2005)
WHITE-CAPPED WATER REDSTART Chaimarrornis leucocephalus 白顶溪鸲 Bái dǐng xī qú
Scarce and local resident along mountain streams; winter visitor to lower elevations. Shidu (Juma River) in winter is the most reliable location.
Highest count: two on 4 January 2020 at Shidu (Li Tian)
BLUE WHISTLING THRUSH Myophonus caeruleus 紫啸鸫 Zǐ xiào dōng
Scarce and local summer breeder in the mountains (e.g. Lingshan) and rare passage migrant in lowland Beijing (late April to September).
Highest count: three on 17 June 2016 at Lingshan (Terry Townshend)
AMUR STONECHAT Saxicola stejnegeri 东亚石䳭 Dōngyà shí jí
Common passage migrant in spring (April to early June, peaking in early May) and autumn (mid-August to early October, peaking in the first half of September). Bred in 2019 at Lingshan (per Paul Holt).
Highest count: 100 on 4 May 2019 at Yeyahu (Richard Davis and Ben Wielstra)
GREY BUSHCHAT Saxicola ferreus 灰林䳭 Huī lín jí
Very rare overshooting spring migrant. At least three records: one at Xiaolongmen on 28 May 1979 (Cai, 1987); one on 11 April 2013 (see here); and one near Yeyahu car park on 7 April 2019 (Tian Shu).
ISABELLINE WHEATEAR Oenanthe isabellina 沙䳭 Shā jí
Very rare vagrant. At least seven records: one on 5 April 2012 at Ma Chang, originally identified as a female Desert Wheatear before being corrected by Killian Mullarney (Terry Townshend); one on 17 September 2015 at Ma Chang (per Zhu Lei); one on 7-8 April 2018 at Shisanling (Colm Moore); one on 1 April 2019 at Ma Chang (Lou Fangzhou); one on 27-28 April 2019 at Shahe Reservoir (Qing Xiaowei and Wen Chunzhi); one on 1 May 2020 at Lingshan (YiLiang – WeChat name); one on 8 May 2022 at Ma Chang (Cinclus cinclus et al.)
NORTHERN WHEATEAR Oenanthe oenanthe 穗䳭 Suì jí
Very rare vagrant. At least three recent documented records: a female at Shahe, 26 April 2019 (Colm Moore); one on 23 April 2020 at Kangxi Grasslands (Vincent Wang); and one on 28 March 2021 at DaShi River (关翔宇,丫丫鱼（万伟）和北京飞羽的志愿者们); also one (female) reported from Shahe Reservoir on 19 March 2023 (Stefan Andrew).
PIED WHEATEAR Oenanthe pleschanka 白顶䳭 Bái dǐng jí
Rare spring passage migrant (late March to early May) and occasional breeder. First recorded breeding record in Dujiazhuang, Mentougou District, June 1979 in a dry canal at 800m elevation (Cai, 1987). A first-winter in the Olympic Forest Park on 15-18 January 2017 was an exceptional winter record.
Highest count: three on 9 April 2006 at the Guishui River (ZL, CBR2006)
DESERT WHEATEAR Oenanthe deserti 漠䳭 Mò jí
Very rare vagrant. Only two records: one on 17 April 2010 at Ma Chang (Brian Ivon Jones et al.); one on 16 April 2020 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Colm Moore)
RUFOUS-TAILED ROCK THRUSH Monticola saxatilis 白背矶鸫 Bái bèi jī dōng
Very rare vagrant. Only one, historical, record: one collected at Baihuashan, Mentougou on 12 August 1917, preserved in the Tianjin Museum of Natural History (Cai, 1987).
BLUE ROCK THRUSH Monticola solitarius 蓝矶鸫 Lán jī dōng
Scarce and local summer breeder in mountainous valleys and gorges (May to early September). Rare in lowland Beijing on passage.
Highest counts: 20 on 14 June 2003 along the Juma River, Fangshan (CBR2003); 15 on 19 May 1988 at Mutianyu Great Wall (Peter Vickery)
WHITE-THROATED ROCK THRUSH Monticola gularis 白喉矶鸫 Báihóu jī dōng
Scarce and local breeder in the mountains and passage migrant in lowland Beijing (May to October, exceptionally in late April and November).
ORIENTAL MAGPIE-ROBIN Copsychus saularis 鹊鸲 Què qú
Very rare vagrant. At least one record – one photographed at Miyun Reservoir on or before 23 June 2023 (李爱宏).
BROWN-CHESTED JUNGLE FLYCATCHER Rhinomyias brunneatus 白喉林鹟 Báihóu lín wēng
Very rare vagrant. At least one record: a singing male on 28 June 2014 along the GuiShui River, Yanqing (Li Haitao)
GREY-STREAKED FLYCATCHER Muscicapa griseisticta 灰纹鹟 Huī wén wēng
Passage migrant in spring (mid-May and early June) and autumn (August and September).
Highest count: ten on 22 May 2009 at the Wenyu River (Spike Millington and Brian Ivon Jones)
DARK-SIDED FLYCATCHER Muscicapa sibirica 乌鹟 Wū wēng
Common passage migrant in spring (mid-May and early June) and autumn (end of July, August and September, peaking in late August).
Highest count: 25 on 20 May 2023 at DaNing Reservoir (Oriental Stork); 20 on 21 May 2006 at Peking University (ZAH, CBR2006)
ASIAN BROWN FLYCATCHER Muscicapa dauurica 北灰鹟 Běi huī wēng
Passage migrant in spring (late April to early June) and in autumn (August to early October). Discovered breeding in Yudushan, Yanqing District in 2022 (adults feeding young on 30 June 2022 – Li Xin, Wu Chunmei, Qin Xiaowei and Zheng Ping).
Highest counts: ten on 21 August 2019 at Yuanmingyuan (Kevin Cheng); ten on 13 May 2006 at Baiwangshan (HD, CBR2006)
BROWN-BREASTED FLYCATCHER Muscicapa muttui 褐胸鹟 Hè-xiōng wēng
Very rare vagrant. Possibly only six records? One photographed on 9 June 2019 at Xiaolongmen (Liang Zhijian, a member of the young birders’ group, “Beijing Feiyu”). The first record of this species in Beijing. Remarkably, another was seen the following year on 15 May 2020 at the same location. A third was in the Botanical Gardens on 10 May 2022 (Vincent Wang et al.) with another in ZiZhuYuan the following day (photos suggest it was a different bird to that in the Botanical Gardens on 10th); one was at the Temple of Heaven Park on 3 May 2023 (海老); one on 3 June 2023 at Baihuashan (Zhang Xiaoling, Cai Zhenbo, Li Yuying, Li Bao).
RUFOUS-GORGETED FLYCATCHER Ficedula strophiata 橙胸姬鹟 Chéng xiōng jī wēng
Very rare vagrant. One was seen at Badaling Great Wall, Yanqing on 21 June 2011 (Joseph Verica) with another seen at Liuyin Park, Dongcheng on 12 April 2015 (Hong Guangyuan), per Li Zhaonan et al., 2017.
YELLOW-RUMPED FLYCATCHER Ficedula zanthopygia 白眉姬鹟 Báiméi jī wēng
A common breeder in the hills and passage migrant in any suitable habitat (May to September). Rare in April.
Highest counts: 16 on 14 and 15 June 2003 at Xiaolongmen, Mentougou (CBR2003); 15 on 15 June 2004 at Badaling (Don Roberson)
NARCISSUS FLYCATCHER Ficedula narcissina 黄眉姬鹟 Huángméijī wēng
Very rare vagrant. At least three records: one on 16 August 2012 in the grounds of the Xiyuan Hotel (via Tong Menxiu); one on 10 May 2016 at the Wenyu River (Jian Guohao); one on 21 May 2020 at Temple of Heaven Park (健 宋)
GREEN-BACKED FLYCATCHER Ficedula elisae 绿背姬鹟 Lǜ bèi jī wēng
Uncommon and local breeder in the mountains around Beijing and a scarce passage migrant in lowland Beijing (very late April to early October).
Highest counts: six on 15 June 2019 at Xiaolongmen, Mentougou (Zhen Niu); six on 14-15 June 2003 at Xiaolongmen, Mentougou (CBR2003)
MUGIMAKI FLYCATCHER Ficedula mugimaki 鸲姬鹟 Qú jī wēng
Rare passage migrant. Between 10-20 records up to end of 2021 (primarily May and October). Exceptional in winter.
SLATY-BACKED FLYCATCHER Ficedula hodgsonii 锈胸蓝姬鹟 Xiù xiōng lán jī wēng
Rare and local breeder in the mountains. First record was from 7 June 2005 at Xiaolongmen (Dr Wang Ning of Beijing Normal University, CBR2005) but, since 2015, it has been known to be a regular but very local breeder in the mountains. Very rare in lowland Beijing: one on 22 May 2018 at Peking University (Feiyu2018 Beijing, XiaoPT et al..); one adult male on 7 June 2018 in the Olympic Forest Park (Lou Fangzhou); one (2cy male) on 14 May 2021 in the Olympic Forest Park (Terry Townshend).
Highest count: five on 2 June 2019 at Lingshan (Fishing Cat)
RED-BREASTED FLYCATCHER Ficedula parva 红胸姬鹟 Hóng xiōng jī wēng
Rare vagrant in late autumn and winter. Around 10 records up to end of 2021.
TAIGA FLYCATCHER Ficedula albicilla 红喉姬鹟 Hóng hóu jī wēng
Common passage migrant in spring (late April and May, peaking in early May) and autumn (late August to October, peaking in first half of September).
Highest count: 100 on 13 May 2006 at Peking University (ZAH, CBR2006)
SLATY-BLUE FLYCATCHER Ficedula tricolor 灰蓝姬鹟 Huī lán jī wēng
Very rare vagrant. Possibly only five records. One on 11 September 2015 at Tsinghua University (Ben Wielstra) – see here; one, a singing male, on 23 June 2016 at Lingshan (Paul Holt); and one on 13-14 May 2019 at Tsinghua University (Ben Wielstra). Astonishingly, this third record was found just 50m from the location of Beijing’s first record of this species found by the same observer in 2015; one on 10 May 2022 at JingTieHeYuan, Xicheng District (朱鋆); one on 7 May 2023 at the Olympic Forest Park (贾惟如).
BLUE AND WHITE FLYCATCHER Cyanoptila cyanomelana 白腹姬鹟 Bái fù jī wēng
Rare passage migrant. Recent records: one on 29 May 2019 at Qingshui, Mentougou (Xue Boning); one on 1 June 2019 at Xiaolongmen, Mentougou (Fishing Cat); one on 10 June 2023 at Xiaolongmen (Dong Yan)
ZAPPEY’S FLYCATCHER Cyanoptila cumatilis 琉璃蓝鹟 Liúlí lán wēng
Uncommon and local breeder in the mountains (May to September).
Highest count: 10 on 23 May 2018 at Xiaolongmen (Feiyu2018 Beijing)
VERDITER FLYCATCHER Eumyias thalassinus 铜蓝鹟 Tóng lán wēng
Very rare vagrant. At least six records. One on 9 May 2009 at Cheling Village, Yanqing (Wu Chun); one on 29 October 2014 in the Botanical Gardens (per Li Xaomai); and one on 27 November 2020 at Huairou Reservoir (Song Xu via Zhang Xiaoling); one on 6 April 2022 at Huiyuan, Haidian District (Wang Lizhong); one photographed on 10 April 2023 in the Olympic Forest Park (observer unknown); one on 29 April 2023 at Lugouqiao North Road, Shijingshan (杨艾东).
Cinclidae 河乌科
BROWN DIPPER Cinclus pallasii 褐河乌 Hè hé wū
Local resident along fast-moving streams and rivers in the mountains. Rare in lowland Beijing.
Highest count: ten on 19 December 2005 at Shidu, Fangshan (LJQ, CBR2005)
Passeridae 雀科
HOUSE SPARROW Passer domesticus 家麻雀 Jiā máquè
Very rare vagrant. One male reported, and described well, on 3 May 2020 from the north gate of Chaoyang Park (Zhong Jia) was the first record for Beijing.
RUSSET SPARROW Passer rutilans 山麻雀 Shān máquè
Local summer breeder, primarily in the mountains and hills, often associated with human habitation (primarily April to October). Recorded in all months but rare in winter.
Highest count: 50 on 4 December 2004 at Juma River (QYX in CBR2004)
EURASIAN TREE SPARROW Passer montanus 树麻雀 Shù máquè
Abundant resident in urban and rural areas alike.
Highest count: 5,000 on 18 February 2021 at the Wenyu River (Hang Ye);
1,000 on 13 March 1985 at the Summer Palace (Dave Bakewell)
ROCK SPARROW Petronia petronia 石雀 Shí què
Very rare winter vagrant. One record: one collected on 30 January 1962 at Wuqixian (now Pinggu County in Beijing).
Prunellidae 岩鹨科
ALPINE ACCENTOR Prunella collaris 领岩鹨 Lǐng yán liù
Scarce winter visitor, October to April, primarily to mountainous areas, sometimes in large flocks. Very rare in September and May.
Highest count: 70 on 8 February 2019 at Lingshan (XiaoPT)
SIBERIAN ACCENTOR Prunella montanella 棕眉山岩鹨 Zōng méishān shí liù
Fairly common winter visitor and passage migrant (October to April). Rare in September and May.
Highest counts: 55 on 17 December 2006 at Huaishahe, Huairou (LDJ, CBR2006); 50 on 2 February 1985 at Badaling (Peter Kennerley)
BROWN ACCENTOR Prunella fulvescens 褐岩鹨 Hè yán liù
Very rare winter vagrant. One collected at Miyun on 5 November 1979 (Cai, 1987); one on 23 February 2013 at Yanhecheng (Zhang Shen et al.); one on 13 January 2018 also at Yanhecheng (Li Zhaonan); one on 28 February 2022 again at Yanhecheng (Chen Ziyi); one photographed on 3 November 2022 at Shahe Reservoir (高彤).
Motacillidae 鹡鸰科 Jí líng kē
FOREST WAGTAIL Dendronanthus indicus 山鹡鸰 Shān jí líng
Summer breeder, primarily in lowland woodlands, and a passage migrant (May to September).
Highest count: five on 20 May 2023 at DaNing Reservoir (Oriental Stork); five on 20 May 2018 at Gubeikou (XiaoPT)
WESTERN YELLOW WAGTAIL Motacilla flava 西黄鹡鸰 Xī huáng jí líng
Very rare vagrant. Two confirmed records. One male of the race ‘feldeggi‘ (“Black-headed Wagtail”) was photographed on 13 May 2013 at Shahe Reservoir (Colm Moore) with the ID confirmed by Per Alström; the second confirmed record was another ‘feldeggi‘ photographed very well at the same site on 8 April 2022 (张会萍), again confirmed by Per Alström; in addition, of note, a candidate ‘feldeggi’ was photographed at Shahe Reservoir on 9 May 2022 (戴少华) but photos were inconclusive.
EASTERN YELLOW WAGTAIL Motacilla tschutschensis 黄鹡鸰 Huáng jí líng
Common passage migrant in spring (April and May, peaking in early May) and autumn (mid-August to early October, peaking in early September). Rare in June and July. Races most commonly recorded in Beijing are tschutschensis/plexa, macronyx and taivana.
Highest counts: 600+ at Ma Chang on 4 May 2020 (Steve Bale and Terry Townshend).
CITRINE WAGTAIL Motacilla citreola 黄头鹡鸰 Huáng tóu jí líng
Fairly common passage migrant in spring (exceptionally late March but mostly April and May, peaking in late April and first week of May) and in autumn (August and September).
Highest counts: 250+ on 26 April 2020 at Ma Chang (Steve Bale and Terry Townshend); 200 on 4 May 2019 at Ma Chang (Richard Davis)
GREY WAGTAIL Motacilla cinerea 灰鹡鸰 Huī jí líng
Uncommon resident and regular passage migrant. Breeds along streams and rivers in the hills and mountains. Encountered in lowland Beijing in winter and on passage.
Highest count: 50 on 1 May 2003 at Juma River, Fangshan District (CBR2003)
WHITE WAGTAIL Motacilla alba 白鹡鸰 Bái jí líng
Very common summer breeder, passage migrant and scarce winter visitor. Race leucopsis breeds; ocularis is a common passage migrant and occasional winter visitor; baicalensis is a scarce but annual passage migrant; alba is a rare but annual passage migrant; lugens is a rare but annual winter visitor; and personata is a rare vagrant. Spring migration peaks in mid-April and, in autumn, in late September.
Highest count: 165 on 24 September 2017 at Ma Chang (XiaoPT)
Status of races of White Wagtail:
leucopsis – Common breeder (March to October, rarely in winter); highest count: 67 on 25 March 2006 at Yuanmingyuan (LDJ, CBR2006)
ocularis – Very common passage migrant (late March to October, rarely in winter); highest count: 56 on 28 September 2020 at Ma Chang (Terry Townshend).
baicalensis – Scarce but annual passage migrant in late March-April, possibly overlooked in autumn.
lugens – Rare but annual winter visitor in small numbers (October to April)
personata – Rare vagrant. At least thirteen records, all in spring: first record on 14 April 2012 at Ma Chang (Terry Townshend and Jesper Hornskov); one male on 29 March 2015 at the Wenyu River (Steve Bale); one female on 3 April 2015 at the Wenyu River (Steve Bale); one on 10 April 2016 at Ma Chang (Terry Townshend); one on 2 April 2017 at Ma Chang (Terry Townshend and Richard Fuller); one on 1-9 April 2018 at Shisanling (Colm Moore, XiaoPT, Niu Zhen et al.); one on 26, and presumably the same on 30 March 2020 at Miyun Reservoir (Terry Townshend, Steve Bale); one on 12 April 2020 at Niantan Park (Zhong Zhenyu); one on 26-27 April 2020 at Ma Chang (DaHao and Lou Fangzhou); one on 28 March 2022 at Shahe Reservoir (Colm Moore); two at Ma Chang on 2 April 2022 (Guan Xueyan et al.); one at Shahe Reservoir on 9 March 2023 (via TQM); one at Kangxi Grassland on 12 April 2023 (大牙齿 458 et al.).
alba – Rare but annual spring vagrant. Since the first record of one on 29 March 2015 near Tongzhou (Luo Qingqing), has been recorded annually in small numbers.
RICHARD’S PIPIT Anthus richardi 理氏鹨 Lǐ shì liù
A common passage migrant in spring (mostly late April and May) and autumn (August to early October) and also a scarce and local breeder, for example at Yeyahu/Ma Chang.
Highest count: 160 on 14 September 2019 at Ma Chang (XiaoPT)
BLYTH’S PIPIT Anthus godlewskii 布氏鹨 Bù shì liù
Scarce, but probably overlooked, passage migrant in spring (late April and May) and autumn (August and September, exceptionally in early October).
Highest count: 21 on 31 August 2019 at Ma Chang (Paul Holt)
MEADOW PIPIT Anthus pratensis 草地鹨 Cǎodì liù
Rare vagrant. About 17 records. Most in winter and early spring with just one autumn record. 6 April seems to be the magic date.
Highest count: two, probably three, on 16 April 2022 at Ma Chang (Liu Aitao); two on 1 January 2019 at Shidu (Guan Xueyan et al.)
Recording: Meadow Pipit calls, Ming Tombs Reservoir, 3 January 2021
TREE PIPIT Anthus trivialis 林鹨 Lín liù
Very rare vagrant. Only one record: one on 13 May 2013 in the UK Ambassador’s garden (Terry Townshend). See here.
OLIVE-BACKED PIPIT Anthus hodgsoni 树鹨 Shù liù
Common passage migrant in spring (April and May, peaking in early May) and autumn (late August to October, peaking in late September and early October). Uncommon in winter. Possibly breeds on occasion in the mountains.
Highest count: 700 on 14 September 2013 at Ma Chang/Yeyahu area, including 507 at Ma Chang (Paul Holt and Terry Townshend)
PECHORA PIPIT Anthus gustavi 北鹨 Běi liù
Scarce to rare passage migrant in spring (May) and autumn (September to early October). Very rare in June.
Highest count: four on 2 October 2015 at the Shunyi Patch (Terry Townshend)
ROSY PIPIT Anthus roseatus 粉红胸鹨 Fěnhóng xiōng liù
Scarce and local breeder in alpine meadows in the mountains, for example at Lingshan. Also a scarce passage migrant in spring (April and May) and autumn in lowland Beijing. One winter record of a single bird discovered on 31 January 2021 at the Wenyu River (Liu Aitao)
Highest count: 15 on 5 May 2018 at Lingshan (Luo Qingqing)
RED-THROATED PIPIT Anthus cervinus 红喉鹨 Hóng hóu liù
Common passage migrant in spring (April and May) and autumn (late August to October, peaking in late September).
Highest counts: 85+ on 14 September 2022 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Colm Moore); 60 on 18 September 2019 at Ma Chang (Vincent Wang); 50 on 29 April 2020 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Zhen Niu)
BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT Anthus rubescens japonicus 黄腹鹨 Huáng fù liù
Common passage migrant in spring (mid-March to May, peaking in April) and autumn (September to November, peaking in late September). Rare in winter. Recorded in all months except June and July.
Highest count: 7,200 on 17 October 2007 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt, Wang Qingyu)
WATER PIPIT Anthus spinoletta blakistoni 水鹨 Shuǐ liù
Common winter visitor and passage migrant (October to May).
Highest count: 100 on 19 February 2006 at Shidu (LHY, CBR2006)
Fringillidae 燕雀科
EURASIAN CHAFFINCH Fringilla coelebs 苍头燕雀 Cāng tóu yànquè
Scarce winter visitor (November to March).
Highest count: 20 reported on 9 February 2021 at Beijing International Sculpture Park (Niu); 7+ on 3 January 2020 at Shisanling (Colm Moore)
BRAMBLING Fringilla montifringilla 燕雀 Yànquè
Common passage migrant and winter visitor to urban and rural Beijing (late September to May). An exceptional mid-summer record on 20 July 2019 at Lingshan (dahe@Beijing via eBird).
Highest counts: 10,300 on 20 October 2015 at Huairou Reservoir (Paul Holt and Terry Townshend); 10,000 on 7 January 2004 at Zizhuyuan Park (WC in CBR2004)
HAWFINCH Coccothraustes coccothraustes 锡嘴雀 Xī zuǐ què
Uncommon winter visitor to urban and rural Beijing (October to early May). Recorded in all months but rare from June to September. Given this species is a popular cage bird, records in summer, particularly in city parks, may relate to escapes or deliberate releases.
Highest count: 50 on 19 October 2019 at Taishitun, Miyun (Hu Ruocheng)
CHINESE GROSBEAK Eophona migratoria 黑尾蜡嘴雀 Hēi wěi là zuǐ què
Common resident in urban Beijing. Less common in rural areas. Easy to see in the larger parks.
Highest count: 80 on 19 April 2013 (Aaron Maizlish)
JAPANESE GROSBEAK Eophona personata 黑头蜡嘴雀 Hēitóu là zuǐ què
Rare passage migrant and winter visitor. The number of wild occurrences is probably clouded by escapes and deliberate releases of this commonly kept cagebird species.
Highest count: six on 25 December 2021 at 东方太阳城; three on 2 November 2018 at Lingshan (Paul Holt)
EURASIAN BULLFINCH Pyrrhula pyrrhula 红腹灰雀 Hóng fù huī què
Very rare winter visitor (November to April). Only five or six records: one on 2 November 2010 on the ridge above the Botanical Gardens (Jesper Hornskov); one on 9 December 2012 in the Botanical Gardens (via birdnet.cn); one, probably the same, on 17 January 2013 at the Botanical Gardens (Steve Bale, Zhou Xi Bale); one on 12 November to 1 December 2014 at least at the Temple of Heaven Park (via XiaoPT); one unconfirmed report on 19 April 2017 at the Olympic Forest Park (Andrew Thornton); one male photographed on 12 January 2020 at the Olympic Forest Park (David Mackie).
MONGOLIAN FINCH Eremopsaltria mongolica 蒙古沙雀 Ménggǔ shā què
Very rare vagrant. One photographed on 7 October 2017 at Baiwangshan was the first modern day record (Ding Deyong).
ASIAN ROSY FINCH Leucosticte arctoa 粉红腹岭雀 Fěnhóng fù lǐng què
Scarce and irruptive winter visitor (late October to April) to the rocky mountain slopes, sometimes in large numbers. Seemingly nomadic. Lingshan is the most reliable site. Rare elsewhere.
Highest count: 550 on 28 December 2014 at Lingshan (Paul Holt)
COMMON ROSEFINCH Carpodacus erythrinus 普通朱雀 Pǔtōng zhūquè
Common passage migrant in spring (late April and May) and autumn (late August to November). Rare in March, June, July and December.
Highest count: 220 on 10 May 2020 at HuoYing (Wang Xiaobo).
CHINESE BEAUTIFUL ROSEFINCH Carpodacus pulcherrimus 红眉朱雀 Hóng méi zhūquè
Local resident breeder in the mountains. Altitudinal migrant, moving to slightly lower elevations in winter.
Highest counts: 55+ on 10 January 2021 at Miaofengshan (Colm Moore); 40+ on 21 January 2018 at Miaofengshan (Colm Moore).
LONG-TAILED ROSEFINCH Uragus sibiricus 长尾雀 Cháng wěi què
Scarce passage migrant and winter visitor (predominantly September to April). Possibly breeds on occasion (birds seen in July and August 2021 and in August 2022 at Lingshan, the August 2021 sighting involving juveniles). Two races occur. Uragus sibiricus ussuriensis: distribution – Russian Far East (middle R Amur E to Ussuriland) and NE China (Heilongjiang and Jilin); winters in Korea and E China (Liaoning S to Hebei and Shanxi, also S Gansu) and Uragus sibiricus lepidus – distribution: C China (E Xizang E to S Shaanxi and SW Shanxi). In Beijing, the mountains, including Lingshan, are the most reliable sites, especially for lepidus.
Highest count: 15 on 15 November 2019 at Lingshan (Paul Holt). Note these were racially identified as follows: 3 (2 male, 1 female) lepidus & 12 (including a flock of 7) ussuriensis.
PALLAS’S ROSEFINCH Carpodacus roseus 北朱雀 Běi zhūquè
Scarce winter visitor in varying numbers (late October to mid-March). Most likely to be encountered in the mountains. Rare in lowland Beijing.
Highest count: 96 on 27 December 2014 at Lingshan (Paul Holt)
GREY-CAPPED GREENFINCH Carduelis sinica 金翅雀 Jīn chì què
Common resident breeder, passage migrant and winter visitor in urban and rural Beijing. Often seen in flocks in winter.
Highest count: 500 on 31 January 2021 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (通州大好); 200 in 15 December 2018 at Miaofengshan (XiaoPT)
COMMON REDPOLL Carduelis flammea 白腰朱顶雀 Bái yāo zhū dǐng què
Uncommon winter visitor (October to March) to urban and rural Beijing. Most often seen in the mountains but can sometimes be found in the larger parks.
Highest count: 260 on 19 January 2014 at Lingshan (Yan Shen)
HOARY (ARCTIC) REDPOLL Carduelis hornemanni 极北朱顶雀 Jí běi zhū dǐng què
Very rare winter visitor, usually among flocks of Common Redpoll. Only four records: one collected on 17 December 1956 at Shisanling (Cai, 1987); one on 13-26 January 2014 at least at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt); two on 6 November 2014 at Lingshan (Terry Townshend, Ben Wielstra); one on 21 January 2018 at Miaofengshan (Colm Moore).
RED CROSSBILL Loxia curvirostra 红交嘴雀 Hóng jiāo zuǐ què
Scarce winter visitor (late October to mid-March). One exceptional summer record of a pair at Lingshan on 21 June 2021 (炜 Diao).
Highest count: nine on 8 February 2018 at Yuanmingyuan (Feiyu2018 Beijing)
WHITE-WINGED (TWO-BARRED) CROSSBILL Loxia leucoptera 白翅交嘴雀 Bái chì jiāo zuǐ què
Very rare vagrant. One collected on 10 October 1964 at TanZhe Temple Forest, Mentougou District (Cai, 1987). One on 21 January 2007 in the Botanical Gardens (via BirdTalker). Two (a pair) on 8 April 2012, with one (female) on 9th April 2012 at Jingshan Park thought to be most likely escapes.
EURASIAN SISKIN Carduelis spinus 黄雀 Huáng què
Uncommon winter visitor in varying numbers and passage migrant (October to June).
Highest count: 60 on 22 January 2021 at Da’anshan Forest Station (Zhang Shen, XiaoPT, 大牙齿 458 et al); 50 on 3 January 2020 at the Botanical Gardens (Cao Xiaorong)
Emberizidae 鹀科
SLATY BUNTING Emberiza siemsseni 蓝鹀 Lán wú
Very rare vagrant. One record: a female on 17 May 2016 at the Summer Palace (Jesper Hornskov).
YELLOWHAMMER Emberiza citrinella 黄鹀 Huáng wú
Rare winter vagrant. Around 18 records. One reported by Wilder in a Beijing bird market on the 12 November 1927 is the first record, all the others have been since 1979, when one was collected at Miyun on 10 September (Cai Qikan, 1987). All subsequent reports have been of singles between 24 September and 13 March, nearly always in flocks of Pine Bunting. Sites have included the Baihe Valley, Cuihu Wetland, Xiangshan, Labagou, Ma Chang, Miaofengshan, Shidu, Shisanling (Ming Tombs), Summer Palace, Taishitun and Yeyahu.
PINE BUNTING Emberiza leucocephalos 白头鹀 Báitóu wú
Fairly common winter visitor (late September to early May), often in large flocks.
Highest count: 500 on 18 November 1984 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Peter Kennerley)
GODLEWSKI’S BUNTING Emberiza godlewskii 戈氏岩鹀 Gē shì yán wú
Common resident, primarily in the hills and mountains. Scarce in the city parks.
Highest count: 200 on 8 January 2006 at Shisanling Reservoir (LHY, CBR2006)
MEADOW BUNTING Emberiza cioides 三道眉草鹀 Sān dào méi cǎo wú
Common resident in scrubby and hilly areas. More likely to be encountered in lowland Beijing in winter.
Highest count: 250 on 3 February 1985 at Ming Tombs (Peter Kennerley)
JANKOWSKI’S BUNTING Emberiza jankowskii 栗斑腹鹀 Lì bān fù wú
Rare winter visitor (November to April). Only eight records. Two were collected in the vicinity of the Summer Palace in February and March 1941 by Alastair Morrison (IBIS Vol XC, 1948). It was almost 75 years later before the third record, a group of up to 13 at Miyun Reservoir from 9 January 2016 to 20 March 2016 at least (Xing Chao, Huang Mujiao). This remarkable record was followed by eight on 25 March 2017 at the same site (Beijing Birdwatching Society Wetland Bird Survey). One was found on 9 December 2020 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Colm Moore), with up to twelve seen in the area in the following few days and into early 2021; one on 6 March 2022 at a location in Miyun District (Huang Feihong); one on 4 November 2022 at Miyun Reservoir (鱼子酱); one (male) in Shunyi District on 15 April 2023 (Terry Townshend).
TRISTRAM’S BUNTING Emberiza tristrami 白眉鹀 Báiméi wú
Scarce passage migrant and occasional winter visitor (September to May). Very rare in June, July and August.
Highest counts: 30 on 25 April 2006 at the Wenyu River (Wu Qi & SG); 30 on 17 October 2004 at Yuanmingyuan (FON in CBR2004)
CHESTNUT-EARED BUNTING Emberiza fucata 栗耳鹀 Lì ěr wú
Scarce passage migrant in spring (late April to early June, peaking in second half of May) and autumn (late August to October, peaking late September). One exceptional record of a singing bird on 26 July 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (Paul Holt).
Highest count: eight on 18 September 2021 at Ming Tombs Reservoir (Wang Xiaobo); eight on 14 May 2006 at Shahe Reservoir (WRQ, CBR2006)
LITTLE BUNTING Emberiza pusilla 小鹀 Xiǎo wú
Abundant passage migrant and common winter visitor (late August to May). Spring passage is from mid-March to late May, peaking in late April and early May, and autumn passage from mid-September to early November, peaking in late September and early October. Rare in June, July and early August.
Highest count: at least 50,000 south on 26 September 2014 at Miyun Reservoir (Terry Townshend)
YELLOW-BROWED BUNTING Emberiza chrysophrys 黄眉鹀 Huángméiwú
Uncommon passage migrant and scarce winter visitor (September to mid-May). Very rare in June.
Highest count: 30 on 17 September 2023 at DaNing Reservoir (Oriental Stork); 30 estimated on 11 December 2022 at Yeyahu (子瑞 陈); 16 on 21 October 2019 at Temple of Heaven Park (XiaoPT)
RUSTIC BUNTING Emberiza rustica 田鹀 Tián wú
Uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor (October to May).
Highest count: 210 on 4 February 2019 at the Chaobaihe north of Hougezhuang cun, eastern Tongzhou (Paul Holt)
YELLOW-THROATED BUNTING Emberiza elegans 黄喉鹀 Huáng hóu wú
Common passage migrant, winter visitor and scarce, local, breeder in the mountains.
Highest count: 50 on 14 March 2015 at Miyun Reservoir (Zhao Min)
YELLOW-BREASTED BUNTING Emberiza aureola 黄胸鹀 Huáng xiōng wú
Scarce passage migrant in spring (May and, exceptionally, early June) and autumn (August to early October). Very rare in winter (one remarkable record of a single on 20 December 2008 until 3 January 2009 at least (Brian Ivon Jones)
Highest count: 44 at Miyun Reservoir on 26 August 2015 (Paul Holt and Terry Townshend)
CHESTNUT BUNTING Emberiza rutila 栗鹀 Lì wú
Scarce passage migrant in spring (mid-April to early June) and autumn (late August to early October).
Highest counts: 20 on 7 May 2007 at Baiwangshan (WJ, CBR2007); 20 on 5 May 2006 at CAS Institute of Botany (ZYQ, CBR2006)
RED-HEADED BUNTING Emberiza bruniceps 褐头鹀 Hè tóu wú
Very rare vagrant. One historical record: a male collected on 24 May 1923 (Wilder & Hubbard, 1924, Journal of North China, British Royal Asiatic Society, LV, p.174)
BLACK-FACED BUNTING Emberiza spodocephala 灰头鹀 Huī tóu wú
Common passage migrant and uncommon winter visitor (late August to May). Spring passage peaks in late April and early May and autumn passage peaks in late September and early October. Rare in June and no records in July.
Highest count: 40 on 4 May 2019 at Yeyahu (Richard Davis)
PALLAS’S BUNTING Emberiza pallasi 苇鹀 Wěi wú
Common passage migrant and winter visitor (late August to May). Rare in June and no records in July. Three races probably occur (pallasi, polaris and lydiae), although current knowledge means that differentiating them in the field is not straightforward. Found mainly in reed beds and scrub.
Highest count: 400 on 19 March 2011 at Yeyahu (Spike Millington and Terry Townshend)
OCHRE-RUMPED (JAPANESE REED) BUNTING Emberiza yessoensis 红颈苇鹀 Hóng jǐng wěi wú
Uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor (late October to May). Predominantly found in reedbeds and scrub.
Highest count: 35 on 4 March 2023 at DaNing Reservoir (Oriental Stork); 30 on 9 December 2017 at the Chaobai River (XiaoPT et al.. via eBird).
REED BUNTING Emberiza schoeniclus 芦鹀 Lú wú
Uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor (September to mid-May).
Highest counts: 100 reported on 21 March 2004 at Yeyahu (LHY in CBR2004) appears to be an implausible count; 11+ on 15 February 2021 at Shahe Reservoir (Colm Moore and Zhao Qi); ten on 2 April 2018 at Yeyahu (Feiyu2018 Beijing); ten on 9 December 2007 at Shisanling Reservoir (WRQ, CBR2007)
Calcariidae 铁爪鹀科
LAPLAND BUNTING/LONGSPUR Calcarius lapponicus 铁爪鹀 Tiě zhǎo wú
Common passage migrant and winter visitor, sometimes in large flocks (October to March).
Highest count: 5,600 at Miyun Reservoir on 30 November 2015 (Paul Holt, Terry Townshend, Ben Wielstra and Gennadiy Dyakin)
SNOW BUNTING Plectrophenax nivalis 雪鹀 Xuě wú
Very rare winter vagrant. Only one documented record: at least 10 at Miyun Reservoir on 7 January 2017 (Qu Lijun).