Birds of South Korea

Close to 600 species of birds live in South Korea. The country has diverse environments ranging from mountains to coastal plains, allowing various avifauna to thrive here.

South Korea’s national bird is the Oriental Magpie. Other notable species include the Great Tit, the Varied Tit, and the Yellow-throated Bunting.

List of Common Birds Found in South Korea

Native Birds

Ashy Minivet
Asian Brown Flycatcher
Asian Paradise Flycatcher
Asian Stubtail
Azure-winged Magpie
Baikal Teal
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Kingfisher
Black Drongo
Black-faced Bunting
Black Kite
Black-naped Oriole
Black-naped Tern
Black Paradise Flycatcher
Black-tailed Godwit
Black-tailed Gull
Black Woodpecker
Blue-and-white Flycatcher
Blue-and-white Kingfisher
Brambling
Brown-eared Bulbul
Brown-headed Thrush
Chestnut Bunting
Chinese Blackbird
Chinese Bulbul
Chinese Grosbeak
Common Greenshank
Common Kestrel
Common Kingfisher
Common Merganser
Common Moorhen
Common Myna
Common Pheasant
Common Pochard
Common Sandpiper
Crested Myna
Daurian Redstart
Eastern Buzzard
Eastern Cattle Egret
Eastern Crowned Warbler
Eastern Great Egret
Eastern Jungle Crow
Eastern Marsh Harrier
Eastern Spot-billed Duck
Eastern Yellow Wagtail
Eurasian Collared-dove
Eurasian Hoopoe
Eurasian Jay
Eurasian Magpie
Eurasian Nutcracker
Eurasian Nuthatch
Eurasian Sparrowhawk
Eurasian Spoonbill
Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Eurasian Wren
Falcated Duck
Gray Bunting
Gray-faced Buzzard
Gray Heron
Gray Plover
Gray Wagtail
Greater Scaup
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Tit
Hawfinch
Indian Peafowl
Intermediate Egret
Japanese Bush Warbler
Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker
Japanese Robin
Japanese Tit
Japanese White-eye
Japanese Woodpecker
Korean Bush Warbler
Large-billed Crow
Light-vented Bulbul
Little Bunting
Little Egret
Long-tailed Tit
Mandarin Duck
Marsh Tit
Meadow Bunting
Narcissus Flycatcher
Northern Goshawk
Northern Lapwing
Northern Pintail
Northern Shoveler
Oriental Dollarbird
Oriental Magpie
Oriental Turtle-dove
Pale Thrush
Pallas’s Reed Bunting
Pine Bunting
Red-billed Starling
Red-flanked Bluetail
Rustic Bunting
Siberian Blue Robin
Siberian Rubythroat
Smew
Temminck’s Stint
Varied Tit
Vinous-throated Parrotbill
White’s Thrush
White-backed Woodpecker
White-cheeked Starling
White Wagtail
Willow Tit
Yellow-bellied Tit
Yellow-browed Warbler
Yellow-rumped Flycatcher
Yellow-throated Bunting
Yellow Tit

Non-native Birds

Asian Koel
Demoiselle Crane
Great Bustard
Hill Pigeon
Himalayan Swiftlet
Rock Pigeon
Stock Dove
Water Rail

Some of the best birding sites in South Korea include Suncheon Bay Wetland Reserve, Seosan Birdland, and Upo Wetland. The peak birding season in South Korea is during the spring and autumn migrations. These periods offer the best opportunities to observe various bird species as they pass through or temporarily reside in the country while migrating.