Sylviidae
ウグイス科
uguisu ka

General

Information is based on dictionaries and other sources. Species list may not be current. Korean glosses are only tentative. Comments and corrections welcome.

The most famous member of the family is Cettia diphone or the ウグイス uguisu, a bird celebrated in Japanese poetry for its beautiful song which heralds the coming of spring. ウグイス uguisu is written with the Chinese character 鴬. In Chinese 鶯 yīng was historically used for the oriole (more specifically, the Black-naped Oriole).

The name ウグイス uguisu is also used for other members of the Cettia.

Other names used for the sylviids are:

Cettia diphone, the Bush Warbler or 鴬 uguisu, is often regarded as the Japanese nightingale. With its amazingly strong, clear song, it is a welcome harbinger of spring, for which it is a season word in haiku. The Japanese appropriation of the character 鶯 (historically meaning 'oriole' in Chinese) to write ウグイス uguisu appears to reflect a conscious identification of the uguisu as the Japanese cultural equivalent of the Chinese bird. The poetic function of the Bush Warbler can be seen in the large number of alternative names, such as 春告げ鳥 haru-tsuge-dori 'spring-announcing bird' and 匂鳥 nioi-dori 'fragrant bird'. (Japanese influence appears to be behind the modern use of 鶯 to refer to the warblers in Chinese.)

The Bush Warbler does not stop singing in spring, but its song is not so prized in the summer months, when it is unflatteringly referred to as an 'old warbler' (老鴬 oi-uguisu) or 'summer warbler' (夏鴬 natsu-uguisu), singing in its old age. These are haiku season words for summer.

In haiku, the Reed Warblers or 葦切りyoshi-kiri (genus Acrocephalus) are a season word for summer. The name is also written 葭切. Another name for the reed warblers found in haiku is ぎょうぎょうし gyōgyōshi (written 仰々し or 行行し).

The name ウグイス uguisu (鴬) is used in the word 鶯張り uguisu-bari ('uguisu floor'), a kind of floor found in traditional Japanese architecture that 'chirps' when you walk on it. The singing sound is produced as the clamps that fix the floorboards rub against holes in the floorboards when a person walks above. This kind of flooring was installed in castles and other structures (the most famous example perhaps being in Nijojo in Kyoto) to give warning of intruders.

The colour uguisu in Japanese refers to particular subdued shade of green that is actually rather different from the actual colour of the bird.

Phylloscopus ijimae was named in 1892 by the U.S. ornithologist Stejneger. Although the scientific name suggests it was named after a Mr Ijima (井島 in Japanese), the Japanese common name indicates that this should be Iijima (飯島), with a long vowel. The species was, in fact, named after the prominent nineteenth century Japanese biologist, Isao Iijima (1861-1921).

Species names

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MEGALURINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN JAPANESE CHINESE KOREAN Megalurus               Latin Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru Japanese Other J Chinese Chinese (Taiwan) Other Ch Korean Megalurus pryeri Locustella pryeri Japanese swamp warbler Japanese marsh warbler Streak-backed marsh warbler Streak-backed swamp warbler Mégalure du Japon Riedsänger Камышевка японская オオセッカ (大雪加 or 大雪下) ō-sekka 'large sekka' (sekka written 'snow add' or 'snow under', purely phonetic function) (See also Cisticolidae)   斑背大尾莺 (斑背大尾鶯) bān-bèi dà wěi-yīng 'stripe-backed large-tailed warbler'     큰개개비 keun-gaegaebi 'large reedwarbler'

ACROCEPHALINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN JAPANESE CHINESE KOREAN Urosphena               Latin Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru Japanese Other J Chinese Chinese (Taiwan) Other Ch Korean Urosphena squameiceps Cettia squameiceps Asian stubtail Scaly-headed stubtail Scaly-headed bush warbler Short-tailed bush warbler Bouscarle de Swinhoe Kurzschwanz-Buschsänger Короткохвостка ヤブサメ (薮雨 ~ 薮鮫) yabu-same 'yabusame' (written 'bamboo-grove rain' or 'bamboo-grove shark') シオサザイ (塩鷦鷯) shio-sazai 'salt wren' (seems more plausible than 'tidal wren', using the character 潮 shio 'tide') カワリウグイス (変り鴬) kawari-uguisu 'variable warbler' 鳞头树莺 (鱗頭樹鶯) lín-tóu shù-yīng 'scale-headed tree-warbler' (短尾莺) 短尾鶯 duǎn-wěi yīng 'short-tailed warbler'   숲새 sup-sae 'forest bird' Cettia               Latin Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru Japanese Other J Chinese Chinese (Taiwan) Other Ch Korean Cettia diphone Japanese bush warbler Japanese bush-warbler Singing bush warbler Bouscarle chanteuse Japan Buschsänger Короткокрылая камышевка ウグイス (鴬) uguisu 'warbler' ハルドリ (春鳥) haru-dori 'spring bird' ハルツゲドリ (春告げ鳥) haru-tsuge-dori 'spring-announcing bird' ハナミドリ (花見鳥) hana-mi-dori 'flower-viewing bird' ウタヨミドリ (歌詠み鳥) uta-yomi-dori 'poem-writing bird' キョウヨミドリ (経詠み鳥) kyō-yomi-dori 'sutra-reading bird' ニオイドリ (匂鳥) nioi-dori 'fragrant bird' ヒトクドリ (人来鳥) hitoku-dori 'person coming bird' モモチドリ (百千鳥) momochi-dori 'hundred-thousand bird' (means 'many birds') アタゴドリ (愛宕鳥) atago-dori 'Atago (place name) bird' 日本树莺 (日本樹鶯) rìběn shù-yīng 'Japanese tree-warbler' (短翅树莺) 短翅樹鶯 duǎn-chì shù-yīng 'short-winged tree-warbler' 短翅树莺 (短翅樹鶯) duǎn-chì shù-yīng 'short-winged tree-warbler' (6) 树莺 (樹鶯) shù-yīng 'tree-warbler' 告春鸟 (告春鳥) gào chūn niǎo 'announce spring bird' 섬휘파람새 seom-hwiparam-sae 'island whistling bird' Taxonomy Locustella               Latin Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru Japanese Other J Chinese Chinese (Taiwan) Other Ch Korean Locustella lanceolata Lanceolated warbler Lanceolated grasshopper warbler Locustelle lancéolée Strichelschwirl Пятнистый сверчок マキノセンニュウ (牧野仙入 ~ 牧野潜入) makino sennyū 'pasture-land sennyu' (sennyu written 'enter fairy' or 'infiltrate', ateji)   矛斑蝗莺 (矛斑蝗鶯) máo-bān huáng-yīng 'lance-striped grasshopper-warbler' (茅斑蝗莺) 茅斑蝗鶯 máo-bān huáng-yīng 'thatch-striped grasshopper-warbler'   쥐발귀개개비 jwibalgwi-gaegaebi 'warbler reedwarbler' Locustella certhiola Rusty-rumped warbler Pallas's grasshopper-warbler Pallas's grasshopper warbler Locustelle de Pallas Streifenschwirl Певчий сверчок シベリアセンニュウ (シベリア仙入 ~ シベリア潜入) shiberia sennyū 'Siberian sennyu'   小蝗莺 (小蝗鶯) xiǎo huáng-yīng 'small grasshopper-warbler' (小蝗莺) 小蝗鶯 xiǎo huáng-yīng 'small grasshopper-warbler'   북방개개비 bukbang-gaegaebi 'northern reedwarbler' Locustella ochotensis Middendorff's warbler Middendorff's grasshopper-warbler Middendorff's grasshopper warbler Locustelle de Middendorff Middendorff-Schwirl Охотский сверчок シマセンニュウ (島仙入 ~ 島潜入) shima sennyū 'island sennyu' (sennyu written 'enter fairy' or 'infiltrate', ateji)   北蝗莺 (北蝗鶯) běi huáng-yīng 'northern grasshopper-warbler' (北蝗莺) 北蝗鶯 běi huáng-yīng 'northern grasshopper-warbler' 花尾莺 (花尾鶯) huā-wěi yīng 'flowery-tailed warbler' 알락꼬리쥐발귀 allak-kkori-jwibalgwi 'spot-tailed warbler' Locustella pleskei Pleske's warbler Pleske's grasshopper-warbler Styan's grasshopper warbler Locustelle de Pleske Pleske-Schwirl Островной сверчок ウチヤマセンニュウ (内山仙入 or 内山潜入) Uchiyama sennyū 'Uchiyama sennyu'   史氏蝗莺 (史氏蝗鶯) shǐ-shì huáng-yīng 'Mr Shi's grasshopper-warbler' (史氏蝗莺) 史氏蝗鶯 shǐ-shì huáng-yīng 'Mr Shi's grasshopper-warbler'   섬개개비 seom-gaegaebi 'island reedwarbler' Locustella fasciolata Gray's warbler Gray's grasshopper-warbler Gray's grasshopper warbler Locustelle fasciée Riesenschwirl Таежный сверчок エゾセンニュウ (蝦夷仙入 ~ 蝦夷潜入) ezo sennyū 'Hokkaido sennyu' (sennyu written 'enter fairy' or 'infiltrate', ateji)   苍眉蝗莺 (蒼眉蝗鶯) cāng-méi huáng-yīng 'darkblue-eyebrowed grasshopper-warbler' (苍眉蝗莺) 蒼眉蝗鶯 cāng-méi huáng-yīng 'darkblue-eyebrowed grasshopper-warbler' 黄眉莺 (黃眉鶯) huáng-méi yīng 'yellow-eyebrowed warbler' 붉은허리개개비 bulgeun-heori-gaegaebi 'red-backed reedwarbler' Phragmaticola               Latin Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru Japanese Other J Chinese Chinese (Taiwan) Other Ch Korean Phragmaticola aedon Acrocephalus aedon Thick-billed warbler Thick-billed reed warbler Rousserolle à gros bec Dickschnabelsänger Толстоклювая камышевка ハシブトオオヨシキリ (嘴太大葦切り) hashi-buto ō yoshi-kiri 'thick-billed large reed-cutter'   厚嘴苇莺 (厚嘴葦鶯) hòu-zuǐ wěi-yīng 'thick-billed reed-warbler'   芦莺 (蘆鶯) lú yīng 'reed-warbler' (6 - now conflicts with A. scirpaceus above) 大嘴莺 (大嘴鶯) dà-zuǐ yīng 'large-billed warbler' 树扎子 (樹扎子) (樹扎子) shù zhāzi 'tree zhazi' 큰부리개개비 keun-buri-gaegaebi 'large-billed reedwarbler' Acrocephalus               Latin Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru Japanese Other J Chinese Chinese (Taiwan) Other Ch Korean Acrocephalus orientalis Oriental reed warbler Oriental reed-warbler Oriental great reed warbler Rousserolle d'Orient China-Rohrsänger Восточная дроздовидная камышевка オオヨシキリ (大葦切り) ō yoshi-kiri 'large reed-cutter' ギョウギョウシ (仰々し ~ 行々し) gyōgyōshi 'gyogyoshi' (characters are for sound only) 东方大苇莺 (東方大葦鶯) dōngfāng dà wěi-yīng 'eastern large reed-warbler' (东方大苇莺) 東方大葦鶯 dōngfāng dà wěi-yīng 'eastern large reed-warbler' 大苇莺 (大葦鶯) dà wěi-yīng 'large reed-warbler' (6, 7) 苇串儿 (葦串兒) wěi chuànr 'reed chuar' 大苇子 (大葦子) dà wěi zházi 'large reed zhazi' 大苇扎儿 (大葦扎兒) dà wěi zhār 'large reed zhar' 芦稿鸟 (蘆稿鳥) lú-gǎo niǎo 'reed stalk bird' 芦蝈蝈 (蘆蟈蟈) lú guōguō 'reed katydid' 剖苇鸟 (剖葦鳥) pōu wěi niǎo 'split reed bird' 剖苇 (剖葦) pōu wěi 'split reed' 개개비 gaegaebi 'reedwarbler' Acrocephalus bistrigiceps Black-browed reed warbler Black-browed reed-warbler Schrenk's reed warbler Von Schrenk's reed warbler Rousserolle de Schrenck Brauenrohrsänger Чернобровая камышевка コヨシキリ (小葦切り) ko yoshi-kiri 'small reed-cutter'   黑眉苇莺 (黑眉葦鶯) hēi-méi wěi-yīng 'black-eyebrowed reed-warbler' (双眉苇莺) 雙眉葦鶯 shuāng-méi wěi-yīng 'double-eyebrowed reed-warbler'   쇠쇠개개비 soe-soe-gaegaebi 'small small reedwarbler'

PHYLLOSCOPINAE SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN JAPANESE CHINESE KOREAN Phylloscopus               Latin Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru Japanese Other J Chinese Chinese (Taiwan) Other Ch Korean Phylloscopus fuscatus Dusky warbler Dusky willow warbler Pouillot brun Dunkellaubsänger Бурая пеночка ムジセッカ (無地雪加 ~ 無地雪下) muji sekka 'plain sekka' (sekka written 'snow add' or 'snow under', purely phonetic function) (See also Cisticola)   褐柳莺 (褐柳鶯) hè liǔ-yīng 'brown willow-warbler' (褐色柳莺) 褐色柳鶯 hè-sè liǔ-yīng 'brown-coloured willow-warbler'   솔새사촌 sol-sae-sachon 'pine-bird-cousin' Phylloscopus schwarzi Radde's warbler Radde's bush warbler Thick-billed willow warbler Pouillot de Schwarz Bartlaubsänger Толстоклювая пеночка カラフトムジセッカ (樺太無地雪加 ~ 樺太無地雪下) karafuto muji sekka 'Sakhalin plain sekka' (sekka written 'snow add' or 'snow under', purely phonetic function) (See also Cisticola)   巨嘴柳莺 (巨嘴柳鶯) jù-zuǐ liǔ-yīng 'giant-billed willow-warbler' (巨嘴柳莺) 巨嘴柳鶯 jù-zuǐ liǔ-yīng 'giant-billed willow-warbler'   긴다리솔새사촌 gin-dari-sol-sae-sachon 'long-legged pine-bird-cousin' Phylloscopus proregulus Pallas's leaf warbler Pallas's leaf-warbler Yellow-rumped willow warbler Pouillot de Pallas Goldhähnchen-Laubsänger Корольковая пеночка カラフトムシクイ (樺太虫喰) karafuto mushi-kui 'Sakhalin insect-eater'   黄腰柳莺 (黃腰柳鶯) huáng-yāo liǔ-yīng 'yellow-rumped willow-warbler' (黄腰柳莺) 黃腰柳鶯 huáng-yāo liǔ-yīng 'yellow-rumped willow-warbler' 黄腰丝 (黃腰絲) huáng-yāo sī 'yellow-rumped silk' 노랑허리솔새 norang-heori-sol-sae 'yellow-backed pine bird' Phylloscopus inornatus Yellow-browed warbler or Inornate warbler Yellow-browed willow warbler Pouillot à grands sourcils Gelbbrauen-Laubsänger Пеночка-зарничка キマユムシクイ (黄眉虫喰) ki-mayu mushi-kui 'yellow-eyebrowed insect-eater'   黄眉柳莺 (黃眉柳鶯) huáng-méi liǔ-yīng 'yellow-eyebrowed willow-warbler' (黄眉柳莺) 黃眉柳鶯 huáng-méi liǔ-yīng 'yellow-eyebrowed willow-warbler' 柳串儿 (柳串兒) liǔ chuànr 'willow chuar' 树串儿 (樹串兒) shù chuànr 'tree chuar' 槐串儿 (槐串兒) huái chuànr 'scholartree chuar' 树叶儿 (樹葉兒) shù-yèr 'tree leaf' 노랑눈썹솔새 norang-nunsseop-sol-sae 'yellow eyebrowed pine bird' Phylloscopus borealis Arctic warbler Arctic willow warbler Pouillot boréal Wanderlaubsänger Пеночка-таловка メボソムシクイ (目細虫喰) me-boso mushi-kui 'narrow-eyed insect-eater'   极北柳莺 (極北柳鶯） jí běi liǔ-yīng 'extreme north willow-warbler' (极北柳莺) 極北柳鶯 jí běi liǔ-yīng 'extreme north willow-warbler'   쇠솔새 soe-sol-sae 'small pine bird' Latin Eng, Fr, Ger, Ru Japanese Other J Chinese Chinese (Taiwan) Other Ch Korean Phylloscopus borealoides Sakhalin leaf warbler Sakhalin leaf-warbler Japanese pale-legged willow warbler Pouillot du Japon Japanlaubsänger Сахалинская пеночка エゾムシクイ (蝦夷虫喰) ezo mushi-kui 'Hokkaido insect-eater'   日本淡脚柳莺 (日本淡腳柳鶯) rìběn dàn-jiǎo liǔ-yīng 'Japanese pale-footed willow-warbler' (2) Taxonomy (库叶岛柳莺) 庫頁島柳鶯 kùyè-dǎo liǔ-yīng 'Sakhalin island willow-warbler'   사할린되솔새 sahallin-doe-sol-sae 'Sakhalin doe pine bird' Phylloscopus coronatus Eastern crowned warbler Eastern crowned-warbler Temminck's crowned willow warbler Eastern crowned willow warbler Crowned willow warbler Pouillot de Temminck Kronenlaubsänger Светлоголовая пеночка センダイムシクイ (仙台虫喰) sendai mushi-kui 'Sendai insect-eater'   冕柳莺 (冕柳鶯) miǎn liǔ-yīng 'mian (Imperial headdress) willow-warbler' (冠羽柳莺) 冠羽柳鶯 guān-yǔ liǔ-yīng 'crest-feather willow-warbler' 鴓 (鴓) miè 'mie' (old name) 산솔새 san-sol-sae 'mountain pine bird' Phylloscopus ijimae Ijima's leaf warbler Ijima's leaf-warbler Ijima's willow warbler Pouillot d'Ijima Ijima-Laubsänger イイジマムシクイ (飯島虫喰) iijima mushi-kui 'Iijima insect-eater'   艾氏柳莺 (艾氏柳鶯) ài-shì liǔ-yīng 'Mr Ai's willow-warbler' (4) 艾吉柳莺 (艾吉柳鶯) àijí liǔ-yīng 'Aiji's willow-warbler' (5) (饭岛柳莺) 飯島柳鶯 fàndǎo liǔ-yīng 'Fandao's (=Iijima's) willow-warbler'

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