There were at least five American Buff-bellied Pipits Anthus rubescens rubescens recorded in Western Europe this autumn (three of them in the UK), and birding magazines and fora have been going into the ID criteria in some detail. On geographical proximity alone the assumption has to be that most (if not all) of the Buff-bellieds found over here originated from breeding grounds in eastern North America, so when I found one feeding on a beach in California (in the far south-west of the US) this month I was keen to take some photos and to check whether there were any discernible differences between it and photos of the three UK birds. Rather than drag things out I’ll say right away that to all extents the birds were very similar: however it may be a useful exercise for readers who don’t get to see American Buff-bellied Pipit [as opposed to Siberian Buff-bellied Pipit A. r. japonicus] regularly to go through the ID criteria using the photographs I took.

The American form of Buff-bellied Pipit rubescens breeds across much of northern and western Canada and winters from the southern USA and Central America. Typically found in the winter on open ground - eg fields and beaches - they are active feeders, walking purposefully or chasing after insects (and often snapping at flies, as the individual below).

The ID criteria now being used - mainly it has to be said in reference to similar species in Europe (eg Rock A. petrosus and Water Pipits A. spinoletta) - can be summed up as follows: rubescens has essentially buff-coloured underparts with brownish, (mostly) uncoalesced streaking; a complete white/whitish eye-ring; plain lores; the buff supercilium practically joins the buff submoustachial, and both are concolourous with the underparts; the tertials and retrices (tail-feathers) stand out as being notably darker than any other area of the bird; the nape is unstreaked and grey-toned; the bill is relatively fine and short; and the legs tend to be dark or dirty red.

Whilst a low winter sun has caused a slight yellowish colour cast to the photos below, all these ID features are indeed present and correct:

 

 

Note: buff underparts with light brown streaking, complete white eye-ring, pale lores, buff supercilium and submoustachials.

 

 

Note: as above, plus notably dark tertials and retrices, and “dirty-red” legs. Note also the moult contrast in the greater coverts, with the two inner feathers looking abraded (and darker) than the fresher outer ones - presumably this makes this bird a first-winter as adults would show uniform coverts in December (?).

 

 

Note: the dark tertials and dark retrices plainly standing out from the rest of the lightly-streaked upperparts, and grey-toned unstreaked nape.

Photographs copyright Charlie Moores

(See also “Siberian (A. r. japonicus) versus American Pipits (A. r. rubescens, pacificus, alticola)…“, written by Cin-Ty Lee, at www.surfbirds.com/ID%20Articles/Pipits2.html)