Abstract

A recent study proposes that the Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus rubescens is best treated as two species ‘American Pipit’ A. (r.) rubescensand‘Siberian Pipit’ A. (r.) japonicus. This paper discusses the distribution, movement and known vagrancy of Siberian Pipit and its separation from American Pipit during autumn and winter. Identification features are presented for a number of characteristics, including quantifying the overlap between American and Siberian in these features where relevant. The paper concludes that many Siberian Pipits can be identified in a vagrancy context by differences in leg colour, the colour of the tips of the median coverts, the colour and size of the malar patch, the breast and flank streaking, and the underpart coloration and patterning, and by supporting features including upperpart coloration and streaking, tail pattern and call.Andrew Birch