The Ghost of Tsushima(2020), is a beautifully atmospheric action-adventure game set on the Japanese island of Tsushima, during the first mongol invasion of Japan.
Much of the game consists of riding one’s warhorse through the natural countrysides of the island. Many of the game’s mechanics rely on the natural environment of Tsushima to guide the player around the map. The most striking and prevalent in the game is the Golden Bird, which guides players to main plot objectives.
The Golden Bird is a real species, the Black-naped Oriole, and it is not the only one on the island. Most of the birds in this games are only a backround element, near unnoticeable to the player. But looking a bit deeper shows an impressive degree of for-thought put into the detail of each model. I have found a total of 12 real native bird species present throughout the island. And I am about to describe them all.
Each bird will have a game screenshot, a irl species photo, and a small blurb about the bird in-game, including where it can be found for the virtual-birding-inclined.
First up:
Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinens
The so called "golden bird" is the main plot guide in this game and can be found at undiscovered points of interest.
Pacific Swallow Hirundo tahitica
This bird swarms above Haiku spots in large numbers.
Gray Heron Ardea cinerea
This large wetland bird can be found at the farmsteads of Izuhara. This bird seems to share a model with the next entry.
Red-crowned Crane Grus japonensis
These striking birds can only be found in the Old Togo Rice Fields, near Fort Ito. This species is often used to symbolize immortality and divinity in eastern folklore and religion.
Greater white-fronted Goose Anser albifrons
These birds are easy to overlook and hard to approach but can be found by the Old Togo Rice Fields, near Fort Ito, pond near Numata Settlement.
Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris
These birds can be found in multiple locations along the coastline, but i got the closest to them at Mending Rock Shrine.
Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
These birds are used as messengers by the defending Japanese forces and can be found as plot objectives at select mongol bases. The model seems to be the male form of the species.
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos
Golden Eagles are not a native of Tsushima island, but are heavily used in traditional Mongolian falconry. In the game, you will often come across them as in Mongol scouting parties. Fun fact, if you kill the handler of these birds instead of the birds themselves, they will sometimes come and perch on the body. Great for photo ops! But quite depressing.
Additionally, these birds are traditionally used to hunt small animals such as red foxes for pelts. Suitably symbolic for the island’s sacred foxes.
Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos
The crow is actually the first bird you see in the game, as it perches on your not-quite-dead body just after the intro. It can also be found at Kamistu Forge and on various dead bodies around the map.
These three have far less detailed models, so their species are more educated guesses than perfect identifications.
From left to right:
Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus (I am very confident about this one)
Warbling White-eye Zosterops japonicus (I am reasonably confident about
this one)
Eastern Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus coronatus (this is a very educated guess)
And finally we have the last bird, number 13, and i have no idea what the hell it is supposed to be.
-yellow swallow- what the fuck are you?
This enigma can be found in several places including Senseo, NW Izuhara near coast, and SW of Numata Settlement. I don't know what it is. It looks like it shares a model with the Pacific Swallow with the coloration of a juvenile Blue Tit. I would appreciate any and all suggestions for what it possibly could be.
And thats the Birds of Tsushima! I plan to do several more of these type of posts for various fictional birds from all sorts of media, so come and follow if you would like to see them. I will be tagging this series #birds of the fictional world as well #bfw(my general works tag)
And if you have any good medias for me to look at birds in, send me an ask! I would love to hear about them!
My name is Ki, and I LOVE birds. Especially how birds are portrayed in fiction! If you have any great bird-filled media recommendations, drop into my askbox anytime! :D
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