Toki (Japanese Crested Ibis)

Pelican bird of the Ibis family. Toki, the Japanese crested ibis, symbolizes Japan. It is 70-80 centimeters tall, with a thick cylinder-shaped beak, a whitish body, red above the beak, and a dark pinkish tinge on the underside of the wings and flight feathers. This pink color is traditionally called tokiiro (ibis colored) in Japanese.

 Previously, the Japanese crested ibis was called a tsuki. In the Nihon Shoki (The Chronicles of Japan) and Manyoshu (ancient anthology of Japanese poetry), the tsuki is described as a ‘桃花鳥peach blossom bird’. This description is thought to be associated with the bird’s body color. 

 Currently, the Japanese crested ibis is a special natural treasure. Today, it is designated as an internationally protected bird, but until the Edo era, it was thought of as vermin that destroyed rice and crop fields.

 Since the Meiji era, the Japanese crested ibis population has dropped sharply due to overhunting and environmental changes. In 1981, the last five wild Japanese crested ibises on Sadogashima Island became protected. However, in the wild, the species is extinct.

 Presently, the same species of ibis is being imported from China. Breeding is underway, and some birds have been released to the wild.