Fumie Oyama, Photojournalist 
A flock of oriental greenfinches with vivid yellow feathers. (©Fumie Oyama)
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Blanketed in snow after a record-breaking cold wave, Sado Island has been transformed into a winter wonderland. Although I usually follow the crested ibis — a special natural monument of Japan — this time, I shifted my focus to the resilient birds that stand out against the snowy landscape: oriental greenfinches, whose wings display vibrant colors, and the hardy rustic buntings.
Dancing on the Snowfield?
While photographing the crested ibis as usual, I spotted a flock of oriental greenfinches on a pristine white snowfield. From a distance, they resembled tropical butterflies dancing in the air.
The oriental greenfinch measures around 13 centimeters in length. Though its olive-brown body appears modest, the bright yellow bands on its wings are striking when spread. These birds can be found in forests, grasslands, and farmlands from Kyushu northward. They feed on grass and grain and use their strong, thick beaks to crack sunflower seeds. Due to their appearance, they are sometimes mistaken for sparrows, but the difference is evident when their wings are open.
Like sparrows, oriental greenfinches form flocks from fall to winter when food becomes scarce.
Endangered Rustic Buntings Sharing a Winter Meal
I also captured a photo of a pair of rustic buntings sharing grains from an ear of rice in the snow. These birds, winter visitors to Japan, migrate from their breeding grounds near the Kamchatka Peninsula.
Once widely distributed across the continent, rustic buntings have experienced a significant population decline in recent years, according to the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology. In 2016, they were classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Although they remain a common sight in Sado, their numbers continue to shrink globally.
Despite their name, which includes the word "hawk" in Japanese, rustic buntings are actually small songbirds belonging to the Emberizidae family. They have a tiny crest on their heads that puffs up slightly when they sing or become tense.
Abundant Food Thanks to Rain
In the autumn of 2024, continuous rain during the rice harvest season affected both the quality and yield of Sado's renowned rice crops. The moisture-laden rice stalks frequently clogged combine harvesters, forcing workers to repeatedly stop and clear the machines. It was a frustrating and time-consuming process.
However, this challenge turned out to be a boon for the birds. As workers removed clogged rice ears, grains spilled onto the ground, creating a valuable food source. As a result, more grains than usual have scattered, providing much-needed sustenance to help the birds endure the harsh winter months.
At the same time, record-high rice prices led the government to release rice reserves in February for the first time. What may seem like a misfortune for people has become a blessing for animals. Perhaps this is the wonder of nature's balance at work.
Read more essays by photojournalist Fumie Oyama on Japan 2 Earth, a JAPAN Forward website featuring Japan's initiatives on the SDGs.
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Author: Fumie Oyama
Fumie Oyama is a two-time winner of the Japan Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association Award as a photographer for TheSankei Shimbun. After covering the reintroduction of the crested ibis to the wild for 11 years, Oyama left the company in 2020 to move to Sado Island. There, he continues to photograph the ibis and other wildlife while engaging in farming. He currently promotes the charms of Sado Island as a photojournalist. Follow Fumie Oyama on Instagram.
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