Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus)
Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta)
Long tail, long neck and small head constitutes a characteristic profile. Adult males with grey head, females brown. Tail pattern is typical, and most obvious on adults: A broad dark terminal band and two or three smaller bands at base. Same pattern on flight-feathers. Middle of wing quite broad, creating a straight trailing edge when the bird is gliding with half-open wings. Wings held in a straight angle with primaries pointing slightly downwards when soaring. Tail often fanned and frequently twisted like a Kite to adjust position.
Sound:Call an ascending, then descending; "pjuuuuu" much thinner than buzzards, and with a distinct register break when changing pitch. May be confused with newly fledged Buzzard chicks.
Call:
Distribution:
Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)
Ecology:Birdlife ecology
Links:
Observation.org Latest observations
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CCSounds:Recorded by OREVER,http://www.xeno-canto.org ,CC license
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
Image search Flickr NB! May give other species
CC