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:

Fairly large warbler with long tail, giving the whole bird an elongated look. Tertials, secondaries and coverts with rufous fringes in contrast to greyish brown back. Underparts pale with buff flanks. Outer tail feathers white. Steep forehead and white throat. Males with slate grey head.

Sound:

Variable. Usually recognized by fairly concise phrase, usually with three ascending and descending parts. Often ends with more indistinct mimicry, or subsong. May omit characteristic phrase and sing more cryptic for periods of time, and may be more difficult to identify. Warning call a harsh, drawn "weeet", usually with accented ending, sometimes rising abruptly in pitch.

Alarm call, 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

Featherbase

CC