red-billed leiothrix; Peking robin; Japanese nightingale
A small, colorful songbird (Leiothrix lutea) native to Asia, often kept as a cage bird. The name 'Japanese nightingale' is a misnomer; it is not a nightingale and is not native to Japan.
The red-billed leiothrix is known for its beautiful singing voice.
I saw a Peking robin at the pet shop.
The kanji 相思鳥 literally means 'mutual-love bird', likely referring to the bird's strong pair bonding. The reading そうしちょう is the on'yomi of the kanji. The katakana spelling ソウシチョウ is the standard modern representation.