|
|
Red-throated Pipit
(Anthus cervinus)
German name(s): "Rotkehlpieper"
Size: 14-15 cm
Weight: 16-29 g
|
|
 |
Similar species |
|
 |
Physical description |
|
Click here for a physical description
Red-throated Pipits are small members of the genus Anthus. Their
plumage is highly
cryptic.
Adults
have slightly different
breeding
and
eclipse
plumages.
Breeding
Red-throated Pipits have characteristic rusty-red sides of the head
and throat, with
males
showing deeper hues of colour than
females.
The underparts are white, with dark streaking down the sides.
The head, irrespective of base colour, has additional dark streaking
along the crown.
The upperparts are olive, with extensive dark-brown centres on the
feathers, giving an overall dark appearance. They have a characteristic
white streak down each side of the mantle, giving the upperparts a
high colour contrast. These streaks remain present in all
plumages.
In eclipse
most of the plumage
remains unchanged, but the parts that are rusty-red in summer fade
to a more terracotta-pink colour, with the sexes basically identical.
First-winter
Red-throated Pipits do not have any terracotta or rusty colours on
their head yet, but dark streaking on the chest. Otherwise they
resemble
adults.
|
 |
Taxonomy, classification |
|
See Red-throated
Pipit at Wikipedia .
|
 |
Range, habitat, finding this species |
|
Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Red-throated Pipit is available
HERE
.
Red-throated Pipits are a strongly migratory species.
Their breeding grounds stretch all across the width of Eurasia,
from northern Europe in the West to far-eastern Siberia in the
East, extending to the far-western coastal fringe of Alaska.
They overwinter primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, north-eastern
Africa, the southern Mediterranean, parts of the Levant and in
South-east Asia, in an area from roughly Thailand and the
Andaman islands to the Philippines, southern China and the
islands of southern Japan.
During their migration they can be found anywhere between their
breeding grounds and winter quarters.
In Europe Red-throated Pipits breed only in northern Scandinavia,
and in north-western Russia.
Their European winter quarters are located in south-eastern Italy
and in southern Greece.
During their migration they can be found anywhere eastward of a
line from the North Cape via Denmark to the Balearic islands.
Red-throated Pipits breed in bare mountains and in tundra.
|
 |
Sightings |
|
Click here for sighting information
J. Pires reports finding a Red-throated
Pipit at the Minutos Dam, near Montemor o Novo, Evora, Portugal,
in December 2019. Another was found at the Montargil Dam, near
Mora, Evora, Portugal, in January 2020.
All sighting and photographic information presented on this
page has kindly been contributed by J. Pires.
|
 |
Photos |
|
 |
IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
|
Frontal view of a first-winter Red-throated Pipit
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2019]
Lateral view of a first-winter Red-throated Pipit;
note the characteristic white streaks on the mantle
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2019]
Lateral view of a first-winter Red-throated Pipit;
note the characteristic white streaks on the mantle
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil Dam, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2020]
Near-dorsal view of a first-winter Red-throated Pipit;
note the characteristic white streaks on the mantle
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Minutos Dam, near Montemor o Novo, Evora, Portugal, December 2019]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.