kchonhong

Tai Mo Shan, 16 June 2007

ajohn

Based on structure (long legs, relatively slender bill) and some aspects of plumage (heavily marked upperparts, obvious malar), these are juvenile Richard's Pipits - see my comments on the other recent thread concerning these two species. The heavily 'scalloped' upperparts indicate that they are juvenile birds.

I actually find that Upland Pipit can be a very difficult bird to see, especially to see well. It is more skulking than most pipits, disappearing into the mountain grassland, and only really seems to show well when singing from rocks.

kmike

These pix are of Upland Pipit.

The spots on the back are heavy, and the bill is short and deep. It also shows a thick neck.

I thnk the bill looks longer in these pix because this is a recently fledged bird, which still has the baby skin around the edge of the bill.

Cheers

Mike K

cgeoff

It looks like a juvenile Richard's to me. As John says, structure first this species. The malar patches are very obvious, which is not a feature of Upland.

Geoff