Blyth's Pipit vs Long-billed Pipit: How to Tell Them Apart

Blyth's Pipit

Anthus godlewskii

Small25 gRocky

Heard, Chris (1995) Unravelling the mystery Birdwatch 41:20-24 Page, Doug (1997) From the Rarities Committee's files: problems presented by a pale Blyth's Pipit British Birds 90(10):404-409

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recorded by Sonothèque ADVL · Call, flight call · Cabane Vauban (near Carolles), Manche, Normandie, France · CC0

Photo: Flickr user Stefan Johansson, cropped by Slaunger · CC BY 2.0

This is a medium-large pipit, 16–17.5 cm (6.3–6.9 in) long, but is an undistinguished looking species on the ground, mainly sandy grey above and whitish or pale buff below. It is very similar to the tawny pipit, but is slightly larger, has a longer tail and a longer dark bill. The long-billed pipit's flight is strong and direct, and it gives a characteristic chupp call, similar to desert lark. Its song is like that of the tawny pipit, but slower and more varied, sri...churr...sri...churr…sri..churr. Like its relatives, long-billed pipit eats seeds and insects.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recorded by paulo kivuyo · Engare Nanyuki, Arusha Rural, Arusha Region, Tanzania · CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: lonelyshrimp · CC0

Where you might meet both

India United Arab Emirates Nepal Israel Oman Myanmar (Burma)

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Blyth's Pipit and Long-billed Pipit.