The coal tit Periparus ater populations were surveyed along 981 2-km transects situated in 872 quadrats (4.5 km×5 km), in central and southeastern Hokkaido from late April to early July, 1976-2012. Coal tits occurred in 411 quadrats (47%) and 453 transects (46%). The occurrence frequencies were 18% in Siberian dwarf pine forests, 100% in ever-green coniferous forests, 85% in mixed forests, 68% in deciduous broad-leaved forests, 67% in larch plantations, 41% in agricultural land with woods, 14% in agricultural land and 14% in residential areas. The occurrence frequencies at less than 200 m above sea level (asl), 201-400 m asl, 601-800 m asl, 601-800 m asl and 801 m asl or above were 36, 60, 73, 92 and 60%, respectively. The number of birds (mean±SD) counted per 2-km transect was 0.2±0.4 in Siberian dwarf pine forests, 4.1±2.1 in ever-green coniferous forests, 2.4±2.5 in mixed forests, 1.0±1.3 in deciduous broad-leaved forests, 0.9±1.5 in larch plantations, 0.3±0.8 in agricultural lands with woods, 0.02±0.2 in agricultural lands and 0.1±0.3 in residential areas.

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A dead Okinawa woodpecker, Sapheopipo noguchii, was collected on August 3, 2007 in the Yanbaru region, northern part of Okinawa-jima Island, Japan. By postmortem examination, two individuals of nematode and numerous specimens of feather mite were obtained from the gizzard and feather, respectively. They were identified as Synhimantus (Dispharynx) nasuta (Nematoda: Spirurida: Acuariidae) and Neopteronyssus sp. (Acari: Astigmata: Pteronyssidae), by their morphological characters. This is the new host record of S. (D.) nasuta and Neopteronyssus sp. from S. noguchii, and the first geographical record of the latter species from Japan.

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We investigated the feeding habits of the Japanese treefrog, Rhacophorus arboreus, by palpation and forced-regurgitation methods. In the field survey, carried out in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, 64 food items were retrieved from 39 frogs, and 24 species were identified. The average number of food items obtained from each frog was 1.6, and the average number of species was 1.4. Spiders and grasshoppers (Orthoptera) were the dominant items. In the breeding season, most of the adult males had empty stomachs. Rhacophorus arboreus was suggested to have a wider mouth than other frog species, and to capture fewer but larger prey items. The size of the food items was positively correlated with the body size of the frogs: females had wider mouths than males, and were thus able to swallow larger prey.

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