Appearance:

Small, short winged warbler. Similar to Scrub Warbler (Scotocerca inquieta) and Graceful Warbler (Prinia gracilis), but both wings and tail much shorter. Tail fan-shaped with black and white tips. Heavily streaked back, buff underparts and pale throat and vent. Pale area around eye. Flight diagnostic, with whirring wings and short, slightly spread, fan-like tail. Song flight even more distinct, with long undulations synchronised with voice.

Sound:

Male song a diagnostic, monosyllabic, high-pitched "cist", repeated in an even rhythm about once every second, while in bounding song-flight or perched. Alarm call a short, clipping "witt", repeated in series.

Song and alarm:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

CC

Appearance:

Easy to identify when seen in mountainous habitat where Rock Pipit does not occur, but harder when occasionally seen at the coast where both species may be present. Told from Rock Pipit by: Contrasting, double wing-bars, unstreaked belly (and only modestly streaked flanks), brownish rump, broad supercilium, paler underwing and pure white outer tail feathers. Summer plumage with more strongly coloured buff or pinkish underparts and greyer upperparts, but difficult to identify when plumage worn.

Sound:

Similar to Rock Pipit. Song slightly more melodious, often with Tree Pipit like glissandi at end of phrase. Contact call sharper and more drawn.

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

CC-photo:Betty van Middelkoop, Licence,Link.

CC-sound:Jarek Matusiak, Licence,Link.