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Difference between revisions of "Meadow Pipit" - BirdForum Opus

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;Anthus pratensis
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[[Image:Meadow_Pipit.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|Dave+Whistle|Dave Whistle}} <br />Photo taken: Norfolk, [[England]] ]]
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[[Image:Meadow_Pipit.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by Dave Whistle]]
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;[[:Category:Anthus|Anthus]] pratensis
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==Description==
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Photo taken: Norfolk, England
 
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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A small, brown, streaky bird, it is the commonest songbird in upland areas and its high, piping call is a familiar sound. In flight it shows white outer tail feathers and in the breeding season it has a fluttering 'parachute' display flight. In winter they are quite gregarious and gather in small flocks, often invisible among the vegetation, suddenly flying up with typical jerky flight. Best told from the rather similar Tree Pipit by call, the lack of contrast between the ground colour of the upper breast and belly, the uniformity of the streaking on the underparts (Tree Pipit has much thinner streaks on the flanks) and if visible, the hind claw.<p>
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A small, brown, or olive, streaky bird; the streaks becoming closely packed on the upper breast. White outer tail feathers. Indistinct facial pattern. Long hind claw
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<b>Range etc :</b>
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====Similar Species====
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[[Tree Pipit]] and [[Rock Pipit]]<br />
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Likes open country with plenty of vegetation - upland moorland, heathland, fens, grassland, flood meadows and coastal marshes.A high 'weesk weesk weesk'; a high accelerating song ending in a trill - given in flightVery common in Iceland, the Faroes and British Isles, from north and central France east to the northern shores of the Black Sea and north to the whole of Fenno-Scandia and northern Russia. Isolated resident populations in the Apennines and Caucasus and has bred in the former Yugoslavia and Romania.
 
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Resident in the Faroes, British Isles and east to Denmark but elsewhere a summer visitor. In winter occurs throughout Western and Southern Europe, North Africa and South-West Asia and many birds undergo more local movements from upland to coastal areas. Main movements in August-October and April-May.
 
  
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Vagrants recorded in Svalbard and Bear Island, the Azores and Madeira, and regular winter visitor in small numbers in Kuwait. <p>
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For differences between [[Eurasian Skylark]] and Meadow Pipit see [http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=111510 this thread] in Tips for New Birders Forum
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==Distribution==
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[[Image:IMG 8648bo.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|IanF|IanF}}<br />[[Saltholme Wetlands]], Billingham, [[UK]], September 2010]]
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[[Iceland]], the [[Faroes]] and [[British Isles]], and [[Europe]].
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Very common in [[Iceland]], the [[Faroes]] and [[British Isles]], from north and central [[France]] east to the northern shores of the Black Sea and north to the whole of Fenno-Scandia and northern [[Russia]] including western [[Siberia]]. Isolated resident populations in the Apennines and Caucasus and has bred in the former [[Yugoslavia]] and [[Romania]]. '''Resident''' in the [[Faroes]], [[British Isles]] and east to [[Denmark]] but elsewhere a summer visitor.
  
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Subspecies The nominate race is found throughout the region except in western Scotland and Ireland where it is replaced by the more richly-coloured race whistleri, more rufous above and buff below. <p>
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In '''winter''' occurs throughout Western and Southern [[Europe]], North [[Africa]] and South-West [[Asia]] and many birds undergo more local movements from upland to coastal areas. Main movements in August-October and April-May.
  
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Habitat: Open country including fields and farmland, marshes, meadows, heaths and moorland. Also on coastal grasslands, sand-dunes open beaches, especially in winter.
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'''Vagrants''' recorded in [[Svalbard]] and Bear Island, the [[Azores]] and [[Madeira]], and regular winter visitor in small numbers in [[Kuwait]].
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==Additional pictures from gallery==
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==Taxonomy==
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A few photos you see in additional images are of Tree Pipits. Although not mentioned above, the photos highlight how useful bill size can be in identification (with Tree having a more hefty bill)
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====Subspecies====
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There are 2 subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>:
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*''A. p. whistleri'': more rufous above and buff below than nominate
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:*[[Iceland]] and [[Faroes]] to [[Scotland]], [[Ireland]] and [[England]]
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*''A. p. pratensis'':
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:*South-eastern [[Greenland]] to [[Europe]] and western [[Siberia]]; winters to North [[Africa]], [[Iran]]
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==Habitat==
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Open country including fields and farmland, marshes, meadows, heaths and moorland. Also on coastal grasslands, sand-dunes open beaches, especially in winter. Likes open country with plenty of vegetation - upland moorland, heathland, fens, grassland, flood meadows and coastal marshes.
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==Behaviour==
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Creeps about in longish grass.
  
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''Originally posted by '''Brendan T'''''
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Often sits on fence wires where long hind claw can be clearly seen
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==Bird Song==
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====Flight====
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Rather erratic
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====Vocalisation====
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A high 'weesk weesk weesk'; a high accelerating song ending in a trill - given in flight.<br />
 
<flashmp3>Anthus pratensis (song).mp3</flashmp3><br />
 
<flashmp3>Anthus pratensis (song).mp3</flashmp3><br />
 
''[[Media:Anthus pratensis (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
 
''[[Media:Anthus pratensis (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
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==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug16}}#Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
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{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
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*[http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showgallery.php?stype=1&si=Meadow+pipit&perpage=24&sort=1&cat=527&ppuser=&[email protected]&password= View more images of Meadow Pipit in the gallery]
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{{GSearch|Anthus+pratensis}}
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[[Category:Birds]]
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A few photos you see in additional images are of [[Tree Pipit]]s. Although not mentioned above, the photos highlight how useful bill size can be in identification (with Tree having a more hefty bill)
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<br />
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{{Video|Meadow_Pipit}}
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[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Bird Songs]] [[Category:Anthus]][[Category:Videos]]

Revision as of 00:05, 4 January 2017

Photo by Dave Whistle
Photo taken: Norfolk, England
Anthus pratensis

Identification

A small, brown, or olive, streaky bird; the streaks becoming closely packed on the upper breast. White outer tail feathers. Indistinct facial pattern. Long hind claw

Similar Species

Tree Pipit and Rock Pipit

For differences between Eurasian Skylark and Meadow Pipit see this thread in Tips for New Birders Forum

Distribution

Photo by IanF
Saltholme Wetlands, Billingham, UK, September 2010

Iceland, the Faroes and British Isles, and Europe. Very common in Iceland, the Faroes and British Isles, from north and central France east to the northern shores of the Black Sea and north to the whole of Fenno-Scandia and northern Russia including western Siberia. Isolated resident populations in the Apennines and Caucasus and has bred in the former Yugoslavia and Romania. Resident in the Faroes, British Isles and east to Denmark but elsewhere a summer visitor.

In winter occurs throughout Western and Southern Europe, North Africa and South-West Asia and many birds undergo more local movements from upland to coastal areas. Main movements in August-October and April-May.

Vagrants recorded in Svalbard and Bear Island, the Azores and Madeira, and regular winter visitor in small numbers in Kuwait.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

There are 2 subspecies[1]:

  • A. p. whistleri: more rufous above and buff below than nominate
  • A. p. pratensis:

Habitat

Open country including fields and farmland, marshes, meadows, heaths and moorland. Also on coastal grasslands, sand-dunes open beaches, especially in winter. Likes open country with plenty of vegetation - upland moorland, heathland, fens, grassland, flood meadows and coastal marshes.

Behaviour

Creeps about in longish grass.

Often sits on fence wires where long hind claw can be clearly seen

Flight

Rather erratic

Vocalisation

A high 'weesk weesk weesk'; a high accelerating song ending in a trill - given in flight.
<flashmp3>Anthus pratensis (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Collins Field Guide 5th Edition

Recommended Citation

External Links

A few photos you see in additional images are of Tree Pipits. Although not mentioned above, the photos highlight how useful bill size can be in identification (with Tree having a more hefty bill)


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