The spread of the introduced Melodious Laughing Thrush Garrulax canorus in Japan

Abstract

The Melodious Laughing Thrush Garrulax canorus is an introduced species in Japan, and it has been recorded in the wild since the 1980s. The distribution of this species was estimated based on questionnaires. Four populations of this species have been confirmed in the western Kanto, northern Kyushu, southern Tohoku and Nagano Prefecture. There is a possibility that the expansion of this species is limited by elevational conditions and snowfall. Nevertheless, the distribution is still expanding. Therefore, it is necessary, as soon as possible, to assess the effect of the Melodious Laughing Thrush on the native birds.