japanstarik Synthliboramphus wumizusume

Small, plump seabird of marine habitats, closer to shore during breeding season, in open waters otherwise; occasionally visits inlets and harbors, especially in late winter and spring. Similar to thinner-billed Ancient Murrelet, both being gray above, white below, darker flight feathers and white underwing coverts. In nonbreeding plumage, Japanese has white throat and lores, white stippling in crown; in breeding plumage, white plumes in crest much broader than Ancient. Sharp “chi-chi-chi” call recalls buntings’ flight calls.