Nakanokamishima Seabird Breeding Ground

The Sooty Tern is a seabird with a black back and white belly, widespread in tropical and subtropical seas. It catches fish at sea and nests in large colonies on island ground. Nakanokamijima in Okinawa is one of the few breeding sites in Japan, and the seabird colony is designated a Natural Monument.

The streaked shearwater is a long-winged seabird that spends most of its life at sea, coming ashore on islands only to nest in burrows. It returns to its colony at night, making distinctive calls. Breeding colonies on islands from Hokkaido to Okinawa, including Iwate, Niigata, Kyoto, Shimane and Okinawa sites, are mostly designated Natural Monuments.

The brown noddy is a medium-sized seabird, dark brown with a pale forehead, widespread across tropical and subtropical seas. It catches small fish while flying low over the water. Nakanokamijima in Okinawa is designated a Natural Monument as a seabird breeding island, and the species nests at only a few sites in Japan.

A large seabird with a brown back and white belly that plunges from the air to catch fish. Nakanokamishima in Okinawa is a seabird breeding site and is protected as a Natural Monument.