Japan’s birds playing in water
In the heat of summer, HIH Princess Takamado presents a cooling selection of her photos of birds bathing.
“Through the Lens” Fujingahou Magazine, August 2025
Photos and text by HIH Princess Takamado
Photo edited by Koichi Fujiwara (NATURE’S PLANET）
Edited by Yuki Masuda (Fujingahou)
English version prepared by BirdLife International.
(This English translation is provided for reference only and does not constitute an official version)
As Japan marks the 80th anniversary since the end of World War Two, constant conflicts remain all over the world. As an ardent birder who takes delight in capturing their beauty through photography, I wish we could take inspiration from these ordinary, blessed moments we are privileged to observe in nature. Perhaps if we valued the sublime magnificence of nature and birds better, peace might return to the planet.
Watching children happily splashing around in the fountain at a local park makes me feel cooler myself. When it’s hot, splashing around in water helps cool us down, so I thought it would be fun to share some of my photos of birds also playing in water.
82 cm, Phalacrocoracidae Family
Widely distributed in the south-central part of Eurasia, Africa, Australia, and the east coast of North America. Northern populations migrate south in winter. In Japan, they mainly breed in Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, spend summer in northern Honshu and Hokkaido, and winter in Nansei Islands. They are good at diving and sometimes conflict with fishermen because they eat fish.
The first photo was taken in Inokashira Park this year. Hearing a loud splash made me wonder what had happened, so I swung my lens toward the sound. It was a Great Cormorant vigorously playing in the water. It repeated its wild play three times, with each session lasting a while. While I was shooting the photos, I wondered if it had been very dirty, if the water was simply comfortable, or if it was just enjoying itself as we might.
In the heat of summer, we often see birds enjoying water – I should think because they want to cool off. But birds actually bathe in water even in the cold of winter, as it is an indispensable activity when you’re a bird. Feathers have an interwoven filamentous structure, which traps air allowing them to regulate their body temperature. In addition, some species apply oil onto their feathers to maintain their waterproof quality. Birds bathe in water to remove any dirt or pesticides on their feathers, then preen and groom to revitalise the complex interwoven feathers. Also, some birds dust bathe in sand, on snow, or engage in ant bathing, allowing the insects to eat pesticides and remove them from their bodies.
Let’s return to the Great Cormorants. Most birds apply oil from secretory glands located near their tail feathers using their beaks, ensuring their plumage can repel water. However, cormorants and shags have underdeveloped preening glands and don’t do this. Without this oily coating, cormorant feathers do not repel water nor accumulate air, making their bodies more likely to sink. This reduction in buoyancy is very important and extremely convenient for cormorants so they can dive underwater to catch prey. This allows them to swim freely and skilfully through the water.
13.5 cm, Sittidae Family
A resident bird inhabiting the forests of central Eurasia, from Europe to Japan. In Japan, they are often found in broad-leaved forests in the mountains from Hokkaido to Kyushu. They walk up and down the trunks of trees, looking for insects lurking under the bark.
Above is the photo of the soaking wet Eurasian Nuthatch that I took in Hokkaido. Observing the bird’s bathing, I notice that there are individuals that soak themselves to the skin and others less so.
22.5 cm, Leiothrichidae Family
Distributed from south-central China to northern Vietnam and Laos. An alien species that was originally brought to Japan as a pet and is now found in the wild. As such, this species is widely seen as a resident bird from southern Tohoku to Kyushu.
The next bird, Chinese Hwamei is an exotic (introduced) species that has had its range expanded (due to human influence). In the bushes of Nagano, this individual was observed bathing carefully and repeatedly.
13.5 cm, Muscicapidae Family
The distribution is limited around the world. They fly to Japan (from Hokkaido to Kyushu) and Sakhalin in summer. In winter, they fly to locations in Southeast Asia, such as the Philippines. You can hear their beautiful singing in low-lying mountains and lowland forests across the country.
This photo shows the Narcissus Flycatcher, taken in Shimane. I laughed because it was taking a very elegant yet adorable bath.
30 cm, Laridae Family
Distributed in the Indian Ocean, the western Pacific Ocean, and Australian islands. In Japan, they come to Nansei Islands as summer visitors, and nest on rocky reefs on the coast.
Male 38cm, Female 51cm, Falconidae Family
They are extremely widely distributed all over the world except for Antarctica. In Japan, they nest on cliffs on the coast from Hokkaido to Kyushu. In winter, other subspecies also over- winter in Japan. Recently, they have begun to nest in the crevices of buildings in city centres and feed on pigeons. They plummet from above and strike with their prey with their feet.
The photo on the left shows a pair of Black-naped Terns. I took pictures of this species on Miyako Island. Although the island is surrounded by the sea, for some reason the birds were bathing in a puddle in the parking lot. Perhaps there are advantages gained from bathing in fresh water.
The photo on the right shows a Peregrine Falcon on Oki Island. I observed a pair that had just started to nest on the cliff for about an hour and a half. A few minutes before this photo was taken, the female finished eating prey brought by the male falcon, then rubbed the dirt from her cheeks on the branch and flew away. The pair were perched on a tree growing on the cliff, so the sea was directly below. Her feathers were clean when she returned, so she must have gone to bathe – her appearance with her patterned face feathers so freshly clean was very cute!
Birds are sometimes vigilant of their surroundings while bathing, but once they confirm their safety, they will behave in a truly relaxed manner. For birds, bathing on a daily basis seems to be a fun, pleasant, and peaceful moment.
I love to share these brief moments of birds enjoying nature and activities like enjoyable baths which we ourselves so enjoy.