Hokkaido Photo Tour: Shima Enaga (Parus caudatus japonicus) and Winter Birds

Every winter, the annual JDS Hokkaido photo tour gives participants the chance to experience some of Japan’s most extraordinary wildlife. Visitors from around the world come to Shiretoko to witness the spectacular aerial duels of the Steller’s Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) and the White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) over the pack ice. While these giants of the sky steal much of the attention, the real magic of Hokkaido often lies in its smaller, more elusive creatures.

Yes, the famous birds are unforgettable: the Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus), the mystical Blakiston’s Fish Owl (Bubo blakistoni), the graceful Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus), and of course, Hokkaido’s snow ballerina, the Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis). But one little bird keeps drawing our Hokkaido workshop leaders back: the Shima Enaga (Parus caudatus japonicus), sometimes called Hokkaido’s “snowball bird.”

Only 12–16 cm (4.7–6.3 inches) long—half of that tail—the Shima Enaga is round, white-faced, and irresistibly charming. Juveniles show dark “eyebrows,” but adults lose these markings, leaving behind their iconic all-white faces. You usually hear them before you see them: flocks of 10–20 call out with cheerful “juri-juri” and “tsee-tsee-tsee” notes as they dart through the snowy trees. Unlike many migratory species, the Shima Enaga is a year-round resident of Hokkaido, braving the same harsh winters as the cranes and eagles.  Spotting one isn’t easy—their size and snowy camouflage make them nearly invisible—but when you do, it feels like a small miracle. Photographing them requires patience, quiet observation, and a bit of luck, but the reward is unforgettable: a tiny snowball with wings against the vast white landscape of Hokkaido.

That balance—between the grandeur of the eagles and cranes and the delicate beauty of the Shima Enaga—is what makes a Hokkaido photo tour so special. Every outing is a reminder that the wonder of Hokkaido isn’t just in its giants, but also in its smallest, most charming residents.