Appearance:

Large, but slender and long-legged pipit recalling wagtail in build. Easily confused with Richard's Pipit, but differs in dark lores, almost unstreaked breast, short hind-claw, slender body and thinner bill. The thin moustache-stripe combined with the dark lores stands out from the otherwise pale head. Greater coverts with dark centres and pale fringes are the most contrasting part of the body. Tertials are fringed warm brown. Tail with broad white edges. Immatures are more streaked above and on breast and sometimes flanks, but lore dark as in adults. Flight wagtail-like and less powerful than Richard's Pipit. Stance less upright, with wagtail-like gait.

Sound:

Song simple. Consists of three notes merged in a short, continuous and ringing "tsee-ro-ee", given every 1-2 seconds. Timbre is wagtail-like and intonation variable, but consistent in each song. Flight call similar in timbre, like a cross between Yellow Wagtail and House Sparrow (song). Thinner and more wagtail-like than Richard's Pipit.

Song:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

CC

Appearance:

Small, stocky, white heron with short bill and neck. Heavy jowl. Plumage all white, except in breeding birds which show varying amount of buff on back, crown and chest. Bill usually yellow, but turns orange-red in breeding birds, and is dark in immatures. Legs pale greyish green, but darker in young birds. May be confused with both Little Egret and Squacco Heron in flight. Differs from Little Egret in leg color and shorter, thicker neck and bill. Told from Squacco Heron by unstreaked body/head, and smaller bill. Generally leaves a less elegant impression than other small herons.

Sound:

Usually silent away from breeding ground. In the colonies a chorus of various coarse sounds can be heard. Most distinct is a disyllabic "rick-rack". Other sounds includes short, guttural utterings, or drawn, harsh shrieks.

Contact calls:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC