写真撮影・提供：ノジコ（野路子）の会小池一男氏

The rare migratory bird, the Japanese bush warbler

The Nojiko is a small bird about the size of a sparrow, measuring 14cm in length, and is written as Nojiko or Nojiko, and is named after the fact that it is often seen in grasslands (noji) during migration. Its English name is Yellow Bunting, and its scientific name is Emberiza sulphulata, meaning sulphur-coloured bunting (Nojiko is a bird belonging to the bunting family, like the White-throated Bunting and the Blue-and-white Bunting), and it was named after the yellow colour of its body. It is a rare migratory bird (endemic to Japan) that breeds only in central and northern Honshu, excluding Hokkaido.

The relationship between Numanohara Marsh and Nojiko

In the fall of 2023, a survey conducted by the NPO Niigata Wildlife Research at Numanohara Wetlands confirmed that Japanese bush warblers were traveling between Niigata and Nagano prefectures.

There have been a few records of Nojiko migrating between Niigata Prefecture (Nagaoka City, Kamo City) and Nakaikemi Wetland in Fukui Prefecture, and between Nagano Prefecture (Omachi City) and Nakaikemi Wetland. However, a survey conducted in the fall of 2023 revealed that the number of Nojiko captured in Numanohara Wetland was the largest in Japan, making it the most important and currently largest migratory stopover and breeding site.

Photo and photo provided by: Yasuyuki Nagano / Niigata Wildlife Research NPO

Detailed survey results for 2023 →

Detailed survey results for 2025 →

Ancient settlements, Numanohara marshland and reed fields

プロジェクト名

Madarao Kogen is home to Numanohara Marsh, a 21-hectare marshland (slightly less than five Tokyo Domes). Today, it is home to flowers and wild birds, and is a place where people can enjoy appreciating nature.
There was a settlement here until about 200 years ago, during the Edo period, and waterways, pathways, and traces of habitation still remain. As people abandoned the area, some of the rice paddies became marshes, and shrubs such as reeds and silver grass grew, creating a moist and humid bush environment that is thought to have become a popular stopover for migratory birds such as the Japanese bush warbler. The Madarao Kogen Tourist Association has also built a boardwalk that can be used for walking from spring to autumn.
You can enjoy a variety of highland plants from April to October. The skunk cabbage, marsh marigolds, and remaining snow in May are particularly spectacular.

Photo and photo provided by: Kazuo Koike / Nojiko Association

Flower calendar of Numanohara Marsh →

The Mysteries of Migratory Birds

The world of bird banding

Migratory birds travel long distances...
How do we investigate its ecology?
Take a look at the investigation that unravels the mystery!

Materials provided by: Yamashina Institute for Ornithology

Photo and photo provided by: Kazuo Koike/Nojiko Association

What is bird banding?

Secrets of birds revealed by leg bands

Tracking migration! Bird banding surveys have been going on for over half a century. Learn more about the survey method using leg bands that allow us to distinguish each bird!