noun
Japanese night heron
A species of heron (Gorsachius goisagi) native to Japan. Typically written in katakana as ミゾゴイ.
ミゾゴイは夜行性の鳥で、昼間は茂みに隠れていることが多い。
The Japanese night heron is a nocturnal bird and often hides in thickets during the day.
この地域では、ミゾゴイの繁殖が確認されている。
Breeding of the Japanese night heron has been confirmed in this area.
The name ミゾゴイ is a compound of 溝 (mizo, 'ditch') and 五位 (goi, 'night heron'), referring to its habitat. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.