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Unusual Pipit
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Meadow Pipit on Bull Island
A pale variant perhaps?……..notice the long hind claw.
That is unusual Noely. Did you take this near Chernobyl?
The BTO are interested in albino and melanistic birds so I’ve sent them this link to have a look at it.
It’s a beaut isnt it? I’ve trawled the web looking for similar images and haven’t found any :wink:
Nice one Noely, you did well to pick them out from all th meadow pipits, the melanistic is very interesting. Well done. Send them to Birdwatch Ireland, they would be very interested.
Cheers John, in my experience the Tree pipit has a more pronounced facial stripe and heavier streaking on the chest.
If you’re close enough, the long hind claw is more prominent.
The name “Tree Pipit” is a bit of a misnomer too ‘cos they skulk along the ground too..and Meadow pipits perch in trees :lol: The song flight is the best ID feature :wink:
I’ve already sent images to BWI,Fingal :wink:I’ll have to bow to your expertise Noely. With a slender bill like that I’d have gone for meadow pipit, but I can see what you mean. As for the 2nd pic, I’m bemused and confused – maybe it’s twitcher bait.
It’s hardly a juvenile of some sort, is it? Pipits ain’t my strong point but I know the young can look waaay different than the fully fledged.
BTW, I’ve seen a white blackbird. No messing. It resides in a house in Kilmore Quay in a class presentation since it was stuffed after it was “terminated”. Maybe this is some sort of albino or similar mutation.
Alan.
Update: The proper term for an animal that is not albino but paler than the norm is “Leucistic” :)
“Melanistic” is the darker form of colouring :wink:
I know what ya mean about juveniles Alan….some look very different to the adults,not this different I think :lol:
I think the bill looks different due to the colouration,but it could be a Meadow Pipit….but that claw :DJust doing a google on pipits and came up with this. It may be a rousseline or tawny pipit? Here’s a link. Hope you can read French!
The back claw is huge in this fella.
http://www.oiseaux.net/oiseaux/passeriformes/pipit.rousseline.html
Alan.
I have the Collins Bird Guide and it says the tawny pipit has shorter hindclaws than Richard’s pipit. Apart from which, it still has dark wing feathers and a dark loral stripe.
I’ll vote for leucistic – but which species is another matter.
OK….the official line from BWI is its a Meadow Pipit…….but it’s a leucistic one :D
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