White-breasted waterhen

　The White-breasted waterhen is frequently seen along the national road and farm roads of rainy Ishigaki Island. Perhaps because they often cross the roads, one frequently encounters their roadkill carcasses.

　In Japan, they are primarily resident birds inhabiting Okinawa Prefecture, but they often fly to relatively nearby locations and settle there permanently, with breeding records even on Honshu. Their range appears to be gradually expanding northwards. On Ishigaki Island, they are mainly found in rice paddies, but in the Indian city of Nainital, they breed at elevations as high as 1300 metres. They are birds that can potentially appear in any kind of location.

　While some wild birds have limited habitats and are extremely vulnerable to environmental changes, others, like the White-breasted waterhen, adapt to diverse environments and expand their distribution range. The question of where this difference originates is a fascinating one.