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Motacillidae
セキレイ科
sekirei ka

鹡鸰科
jílíng kē

鶺鴒科
jílíng kē

할미새과
halmi-sae-gwa

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General

Information is from dictionaries and other sources. Species list may not be current. Korean glosses are tentative. Comments and corrections welcome. Hover over Green Lettering Green lettering at this site hides a tool tip with glosses, further explanations, etc. Hover cursor to reveal. to see additional information.

In addition to separate names for the wagtails and the pipits, Japanese ornithological naming also features a distinctive name for the Olive-backed Pipit (Anthus hodgsoni):

1. The wagtails are known as セキレイ sekirei, written 鶺鴒 in Chinese characters. This is a direct borrowing from Chinese.

2. The pipits are known as タヒバリ ta-hibari or 'field larks' (written 田雲雀 'field' + 'cloud' + 'sparrow' or 田鷚 'field' + 'lark'). The name is based on the visual resemblance of the pipits to larks. The written forms 雲雀 and are both used to represent the word ヒバリ hibari 'lark', based on traditional Chinese names for the larks. Unqualified, the term タヒバリ ta-hibari in Japanese refers to the Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta).

The Japanese name 田鷚 ta-hibari influenced adoption of in ornithological Chinese as a narrow name for the pipits, to the exclusion of its earlier meaning to refer to the larks.

3. The East Asian or Olive-backed Tree Pipit Anthus hodgsoni is known as ビンズイ binzui. This is an onomatopoeic name based on the bird's call, which sounds like ビンビン ツイツイ bin-bin tsui tsui in Japanese. There are two ways to write this name in Chinese characters. One is 便追, which was chosen for its sound (binzui) rather than its meaning (roughly 'convenient pursue' or 'mail pursue'). The other is 木鷚 'tree lark', possibly based on a Chinese name.

The wagtails have a number of alternative names in Japanese, several of which suggest a matchmaking function:

イシタタキ ishi-tataki ('stone tapper') 石叩き

ニワタタキ niwa-tataki ('garden tapper') 庭叩き

トツギオシエドリ totsugi-oshie-dori ('marriage-disclosing-bird') 嫁ぎ教え鳥

コイオシエドリ koi-oshie-dori ('love-disclosing bird') 恋教え鳥

イモセドリ imo-se-dori ('man and wife bird') 妹背鳥 (also used for Cuculus poliocephalus or Small cuckoo)

Species names

› ABOUT THIS TABLE‹
SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN
JAPANESE
CHINESE
KOREAN
Dendronanthus
Latin
Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru
Japanese
Other J
Chinese
Chinese (Taiwan)
Other Ch
Korean
Dendronanthus indicus
link to photo
Forest wagtail

Bergeronnette de forêt
Baumstelze
Древесная трясогузка
イワミセキレイ
(石見鶺鴒)
iwami sekirei
'Iwami wagtail'
  山鹡鸰
(山鶺鴒)
shān jílíng
'mountain wagtail'
or
林鹡鸰
(林鶺鴒)
lín jílíng
'forest wagtail' (alt in 1)
(山鹡鸰)
山鶺鴒
shān jílíng
'mountain wagtail'
树鹡鸰
(樹鶺鴒)
shù jílíng
'tree wagtail'
刮刮油
(刮刮油)
guā guā yóu
'(literally) skim off oil = accept bribes, etc.'
山鹡鸰
(山鶺鴒)
shān jílíng
'mountain wagtail' (35, from Zool. Nomen.)
栖树鹡鸰
(棲樹鶺鴒)
qī-shù jílíng
'tree-perching wagtail' (early ornithological) (35)
물레새
mul-le-sae
'water le bird'
Anthus
Latin
Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru
Japanese
Other J
Chinese
Chinese (Taiwan)
Other Ch
Korean
Anthus trivialis
link to photo
Tree pipit

Pipit des arbres
Baumpieper
Лесной конек
ヨーロッパビンズイ
(ヨーロッパ便追 ~ ヨーロッパ木鷚)
yōroppa binzui
'European binzui'
  林鹨
(林鷚)
lín liù
'forest pipit'
    나무밭종다리
namu-bat-jongdari
'tree field-skylark'
or
모래색밭종다리
morae-saek-bat-jongdari
'sand-coloured field-skylark'
Anthus hodgsoni
link to photolink to photo
Olive-backed pipit
Indian tree pipit
East Asian tree pipit

Pipit à dos olive
Waldpieper
Зеленый конек
ビンズイ
(便追 ~ 木鷚)
binzui
'binzui'
キヒバリ
(木雲雀)
ki-hibari
'tree lark'
树鹨
(樹鷚)
shù liù
'tree pipit'
(树鹨)
樹鷚
shù liù
or shù liào
'tree pipit'
木鹨
(木鷚)
mù liù
'tree pipit'
麦鹨子
(麥鷚子)
mài liùzi
'grain pipit'
麦如蓝儿 / 麦如兰儿
(麥如藍兒 / 麥如蘭兒)
màirúlánr
'mairulanr' (meaning of characters is 'grain like blue' or 'grain like orchid')
树鲁鴓
(樹魯鴓)
shù lǔ miè
'tree Shandong (?) warbler'
大鹨
(大鷚)
dà liù
'large pipit' (also used for lark)
힝둥새
hingdung-sae
'hingdung bird'
Anthus cervinus
link to photolink to photo
Red-throated pipit

Pipit à gorge rousse
Rotkehlpieper
Краснозобый конек
ムネアカタヒバリ
(胸赤田雲雀 ~ 胸赤田鷚)
mune-aka ta-hibari
'red-breasted field-lark'
  红喉鹨
(紅喉鷚)
hóng-hóu liù
'red-throated pipit'
(赤喉鹨)
赤喉鷚
chì-hóu liù or chì-hóu liào
'red-throated pipit'
赤喉鹨
(赤喉鷚)
chì-hóu liù
'red-throated pipit' (early ornithological) (35)
붉은가슴밭종다리
bulgeun-gaseum-bat-jongdari
'red-breasted field-skylark'
Anthus spinoletta
link to photo
Water pipit
Rock pipit

Pipit spioncelle
Bergpieper
Горный конек
タヒバリ
(田雲雀 ~ 田鷚)
ta-hibari
'field-lark'
  水鹨
(水鷚)
shuǐ liù
'water pipit'
(水鹨)
水鷚
shuǐ liù or shuǐ liào
'water pipit'
(冰雞兒)
冰鸡儿
bing-jir
'frozen fowl/chicken' (31)
Anthus spinoletta japonicus:
田鹨
(田鷚)
tián-liù
'field pipit' (35, from Zool. Nomen.)
淡色腿水鹨
(淡色腿鷚)
dàn-sè tuǐ shuǐ-liù
'light-coloured leg water-pipit' (early ornithological) (35)
日本水鹨
(日本水鷚)
rì-běn shuǐ-liù
'Japanese water pipit' (early ornithological) (35)
Anthus spinoletta blakestoni:
小水鹨
(小水鷚)
xiǎo shuǐ-liù
'small water pipit' (early ornithological) (35)
옅은밭종다리
yeoteun-bat-jongdari
'pale field-skylark'
Anthus richardi
link to photo
Richard's pipit

Pipit de Richard
Spornpieper
Конек степной
マミジロタヒバリ
(眉白田雲雀 ~ 田鷚)
mami-jiro ta-hibari
'white-eyebrowed field-lark'
  田鹨
(田鷚)
tián liù
'field pipit' (alt in 1, 2, 4, 5)
理氏鹨
(理氏鷚)
lǐ-shì liù
'Mr Li's pipit' (3)
›Taxonomy‹
(大花鹨)
大花鷚
dà huā liù or dà huā liào
'large flowery pipit'
  큰밭종다리
keun-bat-jongdari
'large field-skylark'
Latin
Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru
Japanese
Other J
Chinese
Chinese (Taiwan)
Other Ch
Korean
Anthus godlewskii
link to photo
Blyth's pipit

Pipit de Godlewski
Steppenpieper
Забайкальский конек
コマミジロタヒバリ
(小眉白田雲雀 ~ 小眉白田鷚)
ko mami-jiro ta-hibari
'small white-eyebrowed field-lark'
  布氏鹨
(布氏鷚)
bù-shì liù
'Mr Bu's pipit' (2, 4)
布莱氏鹨
(布萊氏鷚)
bùlái-shì liù
'Mr Bulai's pipit' (1, 3, 5)
(布莱氏鹨)
布萊氏鷚
bùlái-shì liù or bùlái-shì liào
'Mr Bulai's pipit'
平原鹨
(平原鷚)
píngyuán liù
'plains pipit' (7) Conflicts with A. campestris )
쇠밭종다리
soe-bat-jongdari
'small field-skylark'
Motacilla
Latin
Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru
Japanese
Other J
Chinese
Chinese (Taiwan)
Other Ch
Korean
Motacilla flava
link to photo
Yellow Wagtail
Western Yellow Wagtail

Bergeronnette printanière
Schafstelze
Желтая трясогузка
ツメナガセキレイ
(爪長鶺鴒)
tsume-naga sekirei
'long-clawed wagtail'
  西黄鹡鸰
(西黃鶺鴒)
xī huáng jílíng
'western yellow wagtail' (36)
(西方黃鹡鸰)
西方黃鶺鴒
xī-fāng huáng jílíng
'western yellow wagtail'
黄马兰花
(黃馬蘭花)
huáng mǎlán-huā
'yellow malan flower' (malan = medicinal herb) (northern) (35)
黄旦旦
(黄旦旦)
huáng dàn-dàn
'yellow dandan'
黄颤儿
(黃顫兒)
huáng chànr (zhànr?)
'yellow tremble / shiver'
灰颤儿
(灰顫兒)
huī chànr (zhànr?)
'grey tremble / shiver' (northern) (35)
 
Motacilla cinerea
link to photolink to photo
Grey wagtail

Bergeronnette des ruisseaux
Gebirgsstelze
Горная трясогузка
キセキレイ
(黄鶺鴒)
ki sekirei
'yellow wagtail'
  灰鹡鸰
(灰鶺鴒)
huī jílíng
'grey wagtail'
(灰鹡鸰)
灰鶺鴒
huī jílíng
'grey wagtail'
黄腹灰鹡鸰
(黃腹灰鶺鴒)
huáng-fù huī jílíng
'yellow-bellied grey wagtail'
黄零
(黃零)
huáng líng
'yellow zero (ling)' (零 probably alternative writing of 鸰|鴒 líng)
노랑할미새
norang-halmi-sae
'yellow wagtail'
Motacilla citreola
link to photo
Citrine wagtail
Yellow-headed wagtail

Bergeronnette citrine
Zitronenstelze
Желтоголовая трясогузка
キガシラセキレイ
(黄頭鶺鴒)
ki-gashira sekirei
'yellow-headed wagtail'
  黄头鹡鸰
(黃頭鶺鴒)
huáng-tóu jílíng
'yellow-headed wagtail'
(黄头鹡鸰)
黃頭鶺鴒
huáng-tóu jílíng
'yellow-headed wagtail'
Budytes citreolus citreolus:
金香炉
(金香爐)
jīn-xiāng lú
'gold incense burner' (general name) (35)
黄头鹡鸰
(黃頭鶺鴒)
huáng-tóu jílíng
'yellow-headed wagtail' (early ornithological) (35)
노랑머리할미새
norang-meori-halmi-sae
'yellow-headed wagtail'
Motacilla grandis
link to photo
Japanese pied wagtail
Japanese wagtail

Bergeronnette du Japon
Japanstelze
Японская трясогузка
セグロセキレイ
(背黒鶺鴒)
se-guro sekirei
'black-backed wagtail'
  日本鹡鸰
(日本鶺鴒)
rìběn jílíng
'Japanese wagtail'
(日本鹡鸰)
日本鶺鴒
rìběn jílíng
'Japanese wagtail'
日本大花鹡鸰
(日本大花鶺鴒)
rì-běn dà-huā jílíng
'Japanese large flowery wagtail' (early ornithological) (35)
검은등할미새
geomeun-deung-halmi-sae
'black-backed wagtail'
Motacilla alba
link to photo
White wagtail
Pied wagtail

Bergeronnette grise
Bachstelze
Белая трясогузка
ハクセキレイ
(白鶺鴒)
haku-sekirei
'white wagtail'
›Taxonomy‹
  白鹡鸰
(白鶺鴒)
bái jílíng
'white wagtail'
›Taxonomy‹
(白鹡鸰)
白鶺鴒
bái jílíng
'white wagtail'
白脸鹡鸰
(白臉鶺鴒)
bái-liǎn jílíng
'white-faced wagtail' (early ornithological) (35)
白颊鹡鸰
(白頰鶺鴒)
bái-jiá jílíng
'white-cheeked wagtail' (early ornithological) (35)
点水雀
(點水雀)
diǎn-shuǐ què
'sip-water finch/sparrow'
白颤儿
(白顫兒)
bái chànr (zhànr?)
'white tremble / shiver' (northern) (35)
濒鸰
(瀕鴒)
bīn-líng
'close to water wagtail (líng is second character in jílíng)' (31)
白面鸟
(白面鳥)
bái-miàn niǎo
'white-fac ed bird'
马兰花
(馬蘭花)
mǎ lán-huā
malan flower' (malan = medicinal herb) (northern) (35)
白马兰花
(白馬蘭花)
bái mǎ lán-huā
'white malan flower' (malan = medicinal herb)
Motacilla alba lugens:
白鸰
(白鴒)
bái-líng
'white wagtail (líng is second character in jílíng)' (35, from Zool. Nomen.)
알락할미새
allak-halmi-sae
'pied wagtail'

The name of the pipits in Japanese, タヒバリ ta-hibari, literally means 'field-lark'. When written in Chinese characters it is traditionally written as 田雲雀 or as 田鷚. The first character, , is the character for ta 'field'. This is followed by 雲雀, literally 'cloud sparrow', or , which are alternative ways of writing ヒバリ hibari 'lark'. However, in Chinese, (pronounced liù or in Taiwan liào) itself is understood to mean 'pipit'.

Motacilla alba lugens is sometimes considered a separate species. In Japanese, Motacilla lugens is known as:
タイリクハクセキレイ
(大陸白鶺鴒)
tairiku haku-sekirei
'continental white wagtail'

ビンズイ binzui is an onomatopoeic name based on the bird's call, which sounds like ビンビン ツイツイ bin-bin tsui tsui in Japanese. This is arbitrarily written 便追, chosen for its sound (binzui) rather than its meaning (roughly 'convenient pursue' or 'mail pursue'). The alternative form 木鷚 'tree lark' is based on the species' (original) Chinese name.

Motacilla alba lugens is sometimes considered a separate species. In Chinese, Motacilla lugens is known as:
黑背白鹡鸰
hēi-bèi bái jílíng
'black-backed white wagtail' (2, 4)
黑背鹡鸰
hēi-bèi jílíng
'black-backed wagtail' (3)

中国鸟类种和亚种分类名录大全(修订版) 郑作新 著 科学出版社 北京 2000年
A Complete Checklist of Species and Subspecies of the Chinese Birds (Revised Edition) by Cheng Tso-Hsin, Science Press, Beijing 2000

中国鸟类分类与分布名录 主编:郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2005年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of China Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2005

中国鸟类野外手册(中文版)约翰・马敬能、卡伦・菲利普斯,合作者:荷芬奇,翻译:卢和芬 湖南教育出版社 长沙 2000年
A Field Guide to the Birds of China (Chinese translation) by John MacKinnon, Karen Phillipps, in collaboration with He Fen-qi, translated by Lu Hefen, Hunan Jiaoyu Chubanshe (Hunan Educational Press) Changsha 2000

世界鸟类分类与分布名录 主编:郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2002年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of the World Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2002

世界鸟类名称(拉丁文、汉文、英文对照)第二版 郑作新等 科学出版社 北京 2002年
Birds of the World (Latin, Chinese and English Names) 2nd ed. by Cheng Tso-Hsin et al, Science Press, Beijing 2002

香港及華南鳥類(第六版)(翻譯成中文及重新修訂) 尹璉、費嘉倫、林超英 香港性徵特區政府新聞處政府印務局 1994年
Birds of Hong Kong and South China (6th edition, translated into Chinese and newly revised) by Clive Viney, Karen Phillipps, Lin Chaoying, Hong Kong Govt. Press 1994

汉蒙名词术语分类词典(自然科学部分) Mongolian (Cyrillic): Хятад Монгол нэр томъёоны зүйл хуваасан толь (байгалийн шинжлэх ухааны бүлэг) (Chinese-Mongolian classified terminological dictionary, natural sciences part) by 《汉蒙名词术语分类词典》编纂委员会 Mongolian (Cyrillic): "Хятад Монгол нэр томъёоны зүйл хуваасан толь" найруулах комисс (Chinese-Mongolian classified terminological dictionary editorial committee), Inner Mongolian People's Press, Hohhot 1990

Chinese Birds (A Tentative List of Chinese Birds) 中國鳥類(中國鳥類目錄試編) N. Gist Gee, Lacy I. Moffett, G. D. Wilder (祁天錫, 慕維德, 萬卓志), Peiping, 1927 (reprinted 1948)

中国观鸟年报-中国鸟类名录 1.1 (The CBR Checklist of Birds of China v1.1)中国观鸟年报 (China Bird Review), 2010 ()