White-shouldered starling

　As its Japanese and scientific names suggest, this starling breeds in southern China and northern Vietnam, wintering in Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, and other locations. While it is a rare migratory bird with records nationwide, including Hokkaido, a small number overwinter annually on Ishigaki Island.

　True to its English name, the male has conspicuous white shoulder patches. The female, in contrast, is uniformly pale gray. Though rather plain in appearance, the contrast between the white and glossy black feathers when in flight is striking. Some visitors come to Ishigaki Island in winter specifically to see this, and I am one of them.

In recent years, it appears to be expanding its range, as overwintering has now been confirmed in Indonesia, where it had not been recorded before.