Pipit in Tajikistan (1 Viewer)

[PhilSteiner]

This pipit seemed too strongly marked underneath for Water Pipit. Streaking on the mantle doesn't seem distinct enough for Meadow or Red-throated. Is this possibly a Buff-bellied/American? The photos are all of the same bird, but the quality of the photos make its lores look quite different in the different photos.

 

[DMW]

At the risk of embarrassing myself, what about Rosy Pipit? The mantle is quite heavily marked and I think it's possible to discern a green tinge to the secondaries and coverts.

 

[HouseCrow]

I will embarrass myself too: the light bib in front of the eye is a buff-bellied feature is it not?

Cheers
G

 

[opisska]

I will not comment on the ID but just note that if you consider Rosy Pipit, you may run into the question whether it is present in Tajikistan at all. It is, I have seen it there

 

[PhilSteiner]

I will not comment on the ID but just note that if you consider Rosy Pipit, you may run into the question whether it is present in Tajikistan at all. It is, I have seen it there

If yours is the lone record on eBird (great record, whether that's yours or not!), I would mention that that one was at 3,900m asl, 400km to the east. This one was at 800m asl and while it wouldn't be completely insane, would become the easternmost record on eBird for anywhere in the world by 215km. I don't have access to records in Russian or Tajik...there might be plenty of records for all I know. Anyway, Birds of Central Asia states in bold that Rosy Pipit has a dark malar stripe and all-dark bill, which seems to rule it out for this bird?

I will embarrass myself too: the light bib in front of the eye is a buff-bellied feature is it not?

Cheers
G

Yes, that's one of the features that is making me wonder about Buff-bellied.

 

[THE_FERN]

hmm. The Opus page on "american pipit" (aka buff-bellied) is quite good on id. It says has pale lores and a complete eye ring. I can't tell what the lores are like here (in one photo they appear dark, in another light), but I'm not seeing a clear eye ring.