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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]] ]]
[[Image:Meadow_Pipit.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by Dave Whistle]]
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;[[:Category:Anthus|Anthus]] pratensis
==Description==
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Photo taken: Norfolk, England
 
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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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Length 14–15.5 cm, weight 14.5–22 g<br />
<b>Range etc :</b>
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A small, brown, or olive, streaky pipit; the streaks becoming closely packed on the upper breast. White outer tail feathers. Indistinct facial pattern. Legs pinkish-yellow, with a distinct long hind claw.
 
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====Similar species====
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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[[Tree Pipit]] and [[Rock Pipit]]<br />
 
 
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. <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]] RSPB reserve, [[Cleveland]], [[England]], 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 Fennoscandia 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.
  
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 southwest [[Asia]]; many birds undergo more local movements from upland to coastal areas. Main movements in August-October and April-May.
  
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]].
==Additional pictures from gallery==
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==Taxonomy==
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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Treated as [[Dictionary_M-S#M|monotypic]] by some authorities<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>, while some others accept two weakly defined subspecies<sup>[[#References|[2]]]</sup>:
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*''A. p. whistleri'': slightly darker and more rufous above and buff below than nominate, following [[Dictionary_G-L#G|Gloger's rule]].
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:*[[Faroes]] to [[Scotland]], [[Ireland]] and [[England]]; winters south to [[Spain]] and [[Morocco]]. Birds from southeastern [[Greenland]] and [[Iceland]] are sometimes included in this subspecies, sometimes the next.
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*''A. p. pratensis'':
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:*[[Scandinavia]], mainland [[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.
  
''Originally posted by '''Brendan T'''''
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Often sits on fence wires where long hind claw can be clearly seen
==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-GillDonsker17V7.1}}#{{Ref-Clements6thAug16}}#Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
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{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
*[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}}
[[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 13:25, 13 April 2017

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

Identification

Length 14–15.5 cm, weight 14.5–22 g
A small, brown, or olive, streaky pipit; the streaks becoming closely packed on the upper breast. White outer tail feathers. Indistinct facial pattern. Legs pinkish-yellow, with a distinct 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 RSPB reserve, Cleveland, England, 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 Fennoscandia 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 southwest Asia; 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

Treated as monotypic by some authorities[1], while some others accept two weakly defined subspecies[2]:

  • A. p. whistleri: slightly darker and more rufous above and buff below than nominate, following Gloger's rule.
  • 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. Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2017. IOC World Bird Names (version 7.1). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
  2. 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/
  3. 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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