kchonhong

Tai Mo Shan ,17 June 2007

chonki

wild guess:
Olive-backed Pipit (樹鷚)

yvicky

I would suggest Upland Pipit because:
- brown instead of olive in colour
- lack of white dot at the back of ear covert which is the key id of Olive-backed Pipit
(here rules out Olive-backed Pipit)

- heavily streaked on back
- posture not as upright as Richard's Pipit
- short bill (key id of Upland Pipit)

This is my own opinion, please feel free to comment.

kkitty

same place, upland pipit or olive-backed pipit?

16 June 2007
tai mo shan

1/20s, sorry for poor quality photo

many thanks for advice.

wgeoff

I think this is a Richard's Pipit.

The choice is between Richard's and Upland - there are most unlikely to be any Olive-backed Pipits in Hong Kong in June, they do not stay here for the summer.
Richard's is more buff coloured (yellowish) and Upland more rufous (reddish) - see the following photo which I know is Upland



However, the best way to tell between them is by call.

Upland makes a loud whistle starting with a long weeeeeeeeeeeee and ending with a brief tch. This call can be hear from a long distance and is the best way to find Upland Pipits on Tai Mo Shan.

Richards makes a short harsh schreep when it flies off.

ajohn

I think all pictures posted so far (except Geoff's) are of Richard's Pipits.
Geoff's picture shows a classic Upland Pipit for comparison.

I agree that call is the easiest way to separate the two species (and cetainly the easiest way to find upland pipit) but structure is also important. Upland has an odd structure, not very pipit-like; it is fairly short-legged and the bill is shortand deep, seemingly continuous with the line of the crown, and often held at a slight upward angle (as shown on Geoff's photo). Upperparts are evenly, narrowly streaked, underparts are fairly unmarked (with some narrow streaks) and there is little sign of a malar.

One confusion here is that the race of Richard's Pipit breeding in HK is sinensis, whereas most birds in winter are of the richardi race. Sinensis is slightly smaller and heavier-billed, and is more heavily streaked on the back (but with thicker streaks than seems to be the case for Upland)

A further confusion now is the presence of juvenile birds, which can appear to have heavier bills than adults. Kitty's picture shows a juvenile Richard's Pipit - note the long legs, heavily marked upperparts and obvious malar.  Aging the bird as a juvenile is easy based on the pronounced 'scalloping' of the upperparts, created by dark centres to each feather.

kkitty

Really thanks to Geoff and John valuable advice.

I took this picture with kchonhong.  

He has posted his pictures in this link:
http://www.hkbws.org.hk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2637&highlight=
same place, same time, same bird.