Tobi (black kite)
Bird in the same family as hawks and falcons, found in areas commonly inhabited by people as well. Considered a sacred bird long ago.
Species of bird with a total length of about 60 cm in the family Accipitridae of order Accipitriformes in class Aves. Also called tonbi in Japanese. Its body is brown with a blackish tinge, with lengthwise black chest markings. A depression at the tip of the tail distinguishes it from other related birds such as hawks and falcons. Inhabiting all parts of Japan, the bird is often found near urban areas, towns and villages, and along coastlines. Often seen soaring on rising air currents with wings outspread and circling without flapping its wings, its shrill call is rendered piihyororo in Japanese onomatopoeia.
As the Japanese proverb “Tobi ni aburaage o sarawareru” (“Having one’s fried tofu snatched away by a black kite” alludes, the bird is sometimes known to scavenge food from people.
Due to its proclivity to scrounge for food scraps and carrion rather than relying on hunting prey itself, it lacks a strong image of being an intrepid or valiant bird and is considered unpopular relative to related birds such as hawks and falcons. In a source from antiquity, Makura no Soshi (“The Pillow Book”) contains the appraisal, “Tobi, karasu nado no ue wa, mi-ire kiki-ire nado suru hito, yo ni nashi ka shi” (“As for black kites, crows and the like, surely there are none who intently watch or listen to these birds.”)
At the same time, however, the black kite seems to have been considered a sacred bird in ancient times. Nihon Shoki (“The Chronicles of Japan”) contains an account of an incident that happened during the launch of Emperor Jinmu’s military campaign eastward from Hyuga (in modern-day Miyazaki Prefecture) as he was struggling in battle with Nagasunehiko. At this time, “kogane no ayashiki tobi” (“a golden-colored, mystical kite”) flew in, alighting on Emperor Jinmu’s bow and emitting dazzling golden light that blinded the enemies’ eyes to bring him victory.
Black kites have deep associations with long-nosed tengu goblins as well, and in sources such as the Konjaku Monogatari (“Anthology of Tales from the Past”), a tengu that has lost its supernatural power and had its wings broken is referred to as kuso-tobi (literally “an excrement kite,” though the term now refers to the common buzzard). The black kite also makes an appearance in the Genpei Josuiki (“Chronicle of the Rise and Fall of the Taira and Minamoto Clans”) as something upon which a tengu rides.
Related People, Things and Events
Books
Tobi (black kites) in natural history
Tobi in children's literature
Related Works
Tobi-shaped kites (Rokugo-tonbi)
Institutions Holding Related Materials
The National Diet Library (NDL), founded in 1948, is the library which belongs to the Diet. The NDL assists the activities of the National Diet. The Library collects and conserves materials and information both from Japan and abroad, serving as a foundation of knowledge and culture and providing library services to administrative and judicial entities and Japanese citizens.
As Japan’s representative museum, Tokyo National Museum collects, preserves, displays, and researches the cultural properties of Asia with a focus on Japan, and also provides educational programs.
Established in 1877, the National Museum of Nature and Science (Kahaku) is one of the oldest museums in Japan. It is also the only national museum in the country that offers a comprehensive exhibition of natural history and the history of science and technology. It collects and preserves a variety of collections, such as natural history specimens, historical objects, and scientific and technical documents, and so on.
he National Museum of Ethnology, Japan (Minpaku) is the only research institute of cultural anthropology and ethnology in the world, that is equipped with one of the world’s largest museum facilities as well as post-graduate educational facilities.
園内の「ふれあい広場」では鳶が飼育展示されている。所在地は高知県高知市。
External Links
日本に生息する野鳥の写真と解説を種類別で掲載。
SUNTORYが運営する鳥の百科事典。特徴や鳴き声で検索することができる。
Canonが運営する野鳥写真図鑑。写真や鳥の生態、鳥を撮るためのノウハウなどを紹介。
References
- 堀田正敦 著,鈴木道男 編著,平凡社江戸期最大・最高の鳥類図鑑『観文禽譜』(堀田正敦編・宮城図書館蔵)を解読・解説を行う。江戸期の鳥類500種を切抜図で紹介。(日本児童図書出版協会)