Amami Woodcock
Scolopax mira
The Amami woodcock is a medium-sized wader. It is slightly larger and longer-legged than the Eurasian woodcock.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amami_woodcock
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Charadriiformes
Family
Scolopacidae
Genus
Scolopax
Amami Woodcock belongs to the family Scolopacidae, order Charadriiformes, within the Aves class.
Species Profile
The Amami woodcock is a medium-sized wader. It is slightly larger and longer-legged than the Eurasian woodcock.
The Amami Woodcock faces significant threats primarily due to its extremely limited range, being endemic to just a few islands in the Ryukyu archipelago of Japan. Habitat loss and degradation from deforestation, agricultural expansion, and urban development have reduced available forest areas, while introduced predators such as cats and mongooses pose additional pressure on this ground-nesting species.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Dense subtropical evergreen forests with thick understory vegetation, primarily in mountainous areas of Amami Oshima and Tokunoshima islands. The species prefers moist forest floors with rich leaf litter and soft soil suitable for probing for invertebrates.
Threats
Extremely restricted range
Habitat loss and forest fragmentation
Introduced predators (cats, mongooses)
Agricultural expansion and land conversion
Human disturbance and development
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Amami Woodcock (Scolopax mira). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/amami-woodcock