The species inhabits regions of 'Satoyama', described as the natural environment between native nature and urban areas (Wild Bird Society of Japan [Tokyo] in litt. 2020). It breeds from suburban forest patches to heavily forested areas, including coniferous, broadleaved and degraded forest, on hills and the lower slopes of mountains (up to 1,500 m), where there are watercourses and damp areas. It winters in dark, deeply shaded forest near water up to 2,400 m. The preferable nesting trees are broadleaved trees such as Prunus and Quercus sp. (Ishikawa et al. 2012), while they nest on coniferous trees, such as pines and cedars, in some areas (Yamashina 1941, Kurahara 1990). It forages mainly in forest, but will use swamps, rice-fields and farmland and is mainly crepuscular. Breeding has been recorded from April to August (Komiya and Sugita 1975, Kawana 2006). A habitat model showed that precipitation and the number of abandoned rice fields were good predictors of occurrence for this species, with this habitat likely providing food source and nesting trees. Forest plantations were negatively associated with species occurrence (Hamaguchi et al. 2014). Earthworms are probably the principal food source, but land snails, cicadas, crabs, and ground and scarabid beetles are all present in its diet (Kawakami et al. 2005, K. Kawakami in litt. 2007, Oh et al. 2010).

Gorsachius goisagi breeds in Japan. Breeding has been mainly recorded from Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku islands, while there are relatively few records in northern Honshu (Wild Bird Society of Japan [Tokyo] in litt. 2020). During 2009-2010, 26 nests were found in West Mikawa in the Aichi Prefecture (Ishikawa et al. 2012). In addition to confirmed breeding sites, it is possible that there may be 15 additional sites in Japan (Kushlan and Hancock 2005). It is rare vagrant in Hokkaido with no breeding record there (Fujimaki 2012). There has been one report of breeding from Taiwan, China, and recent work has discovered a breeding site at Jeju Island, South Korea (Oh et al. 2010). It has also been recorded in spring and summer in Russia (Primorye and Sakhalin), and is a passage migrant in coastal mainland China (where one individual was recently seen in the Xiamen City harbour of Southeastern Fujian; He Fenqi in litt. 2020), Hong Kong, and Taiwan (China). There may also be a small resident flock occurring during the breeding seasons in the Jiangxi region of mainland China (He et al. 2016). The main wintering area appears to be in the Philippines, but it has also been recorded as a non-breeding visitor to Indonesia, and as a vagrant to Brunei and Palau. Improved awareness of the identification criteria for immatures of this species has led to a marked increase in records from the Philippines (D. Allen in litt. 2012). It was apparently locally common in Japan until the 1970s, but by the 1980s and 1990s had disappeared from many of its former breeding sites. Recent survey work in Japan and increasing numbers of records from the Philippines imply that the population is larger than previously assessed, but is believed to still contain considerably fewer than 10,000 mature individuals. 

Conservation Actions Underway
It is legally protected in Japan and Hong Kong. Birds may occur in protected areas in Japan and it has been recorded in Quezon National Park, Philippines. Environmental Impact Assessments are conducted prior to major developments in Japan, and if this species is identified using a site mitigation measures are taken (K. Kawakami in litt. 2007). The Japanese Ministry of Environment have additionally published ongoing guidelines for the conservation of the species since 2016 (K. Kawakami in litt. 2016).

Conservation Actions Proposed
Survey its breeding range in Japan and its wintering range in the Philippines. Establish a monitoring programme of its breeding and wintering populations. Study its home-range requirements using radio-telemetry. Protect and manage forests in its breeding and wintering grounds. Ensure official protection throughout its range and strengthen and enforce legislation to prevent the sale of this (and other threatened) species. Establish public-awareness programmes concerned with its conservation. Control and monitor invasive species where appropriate within its range.