Paddyfield Pipit

The paddyfield pipit or Oriental pipit (''Anthus rufulus'') is a small passerine bird in the pipit and wagtail family. It is a resident (non- migratory) breeder in open scrub, grassland and cultivation in southern Asia east to the Philippines. Although among the few breeding pipits in the Asian region, identification becomes difficult in winter when several other species migrate into the region. The taxonomy of the species is complex and has undergone considerable changes.

Description

This is a large pipit at 15 cm, but is otherwise an undistinguished looking bird, mainly streaked grey-brown above and pale below with breast streaking. It is long legged with a long tail and a long dark bill. Sexes are similar. Summer and winter plumages are similar. Young birds are more richly coloured below than adults and have the pale edges to the feathers of the upper parts more conspicuous with more prominent spotting on the breast. The population ''waitei'' from north-western India and Pakistan is pale while the population ''malayensis'' from the Western Ghats is larger, darker and more heavily streaked with the nominate ''rufulus'' intermediate.

In winter some care must be taken to distinguish this from other pipits that winter in the area, such as Richard's pipit, ''Anthus richardi'' and Blyth's pipit, ''Anthus godlewskii''. The paddyfield pipit is smaller and dumpier, has a shorter looking tail and has weaker fluttering flight. The usually uttered characteristic ''chip-chip-chip'' call is quite different from usual calls of Richard's pipit (an explosive ') and Blyth's pipit (a nasal '). The tawny pipit has less streaking on the mantle and has a black loreal stripe and a longer tail. The Western Ghats population can appear very similar to the Nilgiri pipit.

Taxonomy and systematics

Some of the subspecies in the group were formerly treated as a subspecies of the Australasian pipit '' Anthus novaeseelandiae'' and the grouping has been in state of flux. Considerable colour and morphological variation with age and latitude make the species difficult to identify from museum specimens. Six subspecies are now included in this species.
* ''rufulus'' described by Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot in 1818 – found in most of Indian Subcontinent (except for the north-west, north and extreme south-west) east to southern China, south to southern Thailand and Indochina
* ''waitei'' described by Hugh Whistler in 1936 (not always recognized) is found in the dry zone of the north-western part of the Indian Subcontinent
* ''malayensis'' described by Thomas Campbell Eyton in 1839 is the dark form of the wet zone of the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka
* ''lugubris'' described by Viscount Walden in 1875 – found in Philippines; possibly also northern Borneo.
* ''albidus'' described by Erwin Stresemann in 1912 – found in Sulawesi, Bali and the western Lesser Sundas (Lombok, Sumbawa, Komodo, Padar, Rinca, Flores, Sumba).
* ''medius'' described by Wallace in 1864 – found in the eastern Lesser Sundas (Sawu, Roti, Timor, Kisar, Leti, Moa, Sermata).

Some authorities consider paddyfield pipit to be a subspecies of Richard's pipit, ''A. richardi''.

Behaviour and ecology

A widespread species found in open habitats, especially short grassland and cultivation with open bare ground. It runs rapidly on the ground, and when flushed, does not fly far.

The paddyfield pipit breeds throughout the year but mainly in the dry season. Birds may have two or more broods in a year. During the breeding season, it sings by repeating a note during its descent from a short fluttery flight, a few feet above the ground. It builds its nest on the ground under a slight prominence, a tuft of grass, or at the edge of a bush. The nests are woven out of grass and leaves and are normally cup shaped. Exposed nests are sometimes domed or semi-domed, the long grass at the back and sides extending over the top. Nests are lined with finer grass or roots and sometimes with a little dry moss, bracken or other material at the base of the nest. The usual clutch is three or four eggs with greenish ground colour and numerous small brown specks at the larger end. When disturbed near the nest, the birds flutter nearby with weak ''tsip-tsip-tsip'' calls. Parent birds may also feign injury to distract predators. Mites are known to cause scaly leg lesions. It feeds principally on small insects but consumes larger beetles, tiny snails, worms etc. while walking on the ground, and may pursue insects like mosquitoes or termites in the air.

A species of ''Haemoproteus'', ''H. anthi'', has been described from this species.

Gallery

Image:Paddyfield Pipit (Anthuis rufulus) with feed for Juveniles at Kolkata I IMG 7773.jpg, Carrying food for young (Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Image:Paddyfield Pipit- with some disease in the legs I IMG 1647.jpg, An individual with lesions on the legs (Purbasthali, West Bengal
Image:Paddyfield Pipit (Anthus rufulus) calling at Sultanpur I Picture 189.jpg, Calling at Sultanpur National Park in Gurgaon District of Haryana, India
Image:Nest Cup PaddyfieldPipit Topview.JPG, Cup shaped nest with three eggs from Hoskote near Bangalore, India
Image:Nest Dome PaddyfieldPipit Sideview.JPG, Dome shaped nest from Hoskote near Bangalore, India
Image:Paddyfield_Pipit.JPG, Mohali, Punjab, India
Image:Paddyfield pipit from Dhaka.jpg, Wide-span flying Paddyfield pipit from Dhaka, Bangladesh
File:MG 8236 PFP INW 01.jpg, Paddyfield pipit, taken at Basai wetlands, Haryana
Image:MG 8236 PFP INW 02.jpg, Paddyfield pipit, taken at Basai wetlands, Haryana
Image:Paddyfield Pipit in Black Soil.jpg, Paddyfield Pipit seen in Udumalpet, Tamil Nadu, India

References

External links

Photos, videos and sounds
– Internet Bird Collection

Photographs
– Oriental Bird Images

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paddyfield pipit
Birds of Bangladesh
Birds of South Asia
Birds of Southeast Asia
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paddyfield pipit