Pipits in VietNam (South Annam) (1 Viewer)

[glennmanc]

Can you help me with these 3 Pipits? I saw A and B together on rice stubble this week and A was obviously bigger with ridiculously long legs. Is A Richards and B Paddyfield? The difference in the throat streaking is very obvious. Photo C was taken on the coast of VietNam today and superficially it does look a bit more like photo A than photo B.

 

[lou salomon]

A and B look like Paddyfield, C like Richard's, imo. Lore colour and bill shape.

 

[glennmanc]

Do you mean that the lores are darker on A and B, compared with C? I can see that's true, looking closely, and it is mentioned in my bird guide, so I should have looked for it.
Is that a more reliable guide than the sharpness of the throat spots and the overall size of the bird (A and B were walking side-by-side, but I suppose size variation can be quite large in Paddyfield Pipits).
What about the "distinctly- streaked crown" as a diagnostic difference? Is that also less reliable than the lores?

I attach some more pics of the bird in A, though I'm not sure they show anything extra. I don't have any more pics of C.

 

[James Eaton]

all appear to be Paddyfield Pipits to me - nothing to discount this, being the most likely. You can see the short tail, and short hindclaw in some.

James

 

[andyb39]

A and B look like Paddyfield, C like Richard's, imo. Lore colour and bill shape.

I agree with James. Although C doesn't have the distinct loral stripe of A & B, the lores look a bit "dirty". Apart from this, the wedge-shaped head and bill shape, the short diffuse streaks on the crown, the mostly solid warm brown ear-coverts and especially the short tail favour Paddyfield.

 

[glennmanc]

So large size and long legs are not enough! Thank you all for the help.