Stint and Pipit for ID - Mar 2024 - Pune - India (1 Viewer)

[wingsnwilds]

Is it possible to ID these 2 from the photos?
Stint is from a wetland in Pune and the pipit is from a grassland area with a lake nearby.

 

[lou salomon]

Little Stint - looks leggy (long tibia) and small headed.
Pass on the pipit although I think it is a Paddyfield.

 

[PaulCountyDurham]

Is it possible to ID these 2 from the photos?
Stint is from a wetland in Pune and the pipit is from a grassland area with a lake nearby.

A couple of interesting links here including identification criteria:

Identifying Pipits: Blyth's and Richard's Pipits - Bird Count India

Blyth's and Richard's Pipits winter across the region and are easily confused with Paddyfield Pipits. Here's how to ID them.

birdcount.in

https://birdcount.in/identifying-paddyfield-pipits/

I don't know anything about Pipits in India but thought I'd have a look out of curiosity.

According to the links:

1) Paddyfield has a mantle that isn't streaked whereas Richard's and Blyth's have continuous streaking from crown to back. Your bird looks like that it has a mantle that isn't streaked.

2) Paddyfield is described as usually having a pale base to the upper mandible (around the nostrils), unless that marking on your bird is a bit of earth or something, which it doesn't look to be, then that would fit Paddyfield.

3) Richard's is described as being a noticeably larger bird, almost thrush like, I don't get that impression of your bird. There's a good picture in one of the links showing Richard's and Paddyfield side by side, both perched on wires, giving you a good idea of the size and structure difference.

4) I think the tail on your bird looks short, like Paddyfield.

5) Blyth's is described as having a supercilium behind the eye, and looking at the pictures in the links there is a distinct difference between Paddyfield and Blyth's with your bird's supercilium looking much more like Paddyfield.

There are quite a few other identifying features included in the links which I couldn't make head nor tail of but I'd imagine the more experienced will be able to. For example, the median coverts in your bird don't appear to match any of Paddyfield, Blyth's or Richard's as far as I can tell.

I appreciate that there are more than three Pipits in India, but you may find the links useful as initial reading.