Passeriformes / Motacillidae / Anthus
Olive-backed Pipit
Anthus hodgsoni · 树鹨
Introduction
A small passerine of the pipit genus breeding across southern, north central, and eastern Asia, as well as north-eastern European Russia. It is a long-distance migrant wintering in southern Asia and Indonesia. Distinctive traits include an olive-toned back less streaked than similar species and a well-marked supercilium.
Description
Size approximately 15 cm (5.9 in). Plumage is greenish brown above, streaked with darker brown. Features a whitish supercilium, double wingbar, and whitish outer rectrices. Underparts are whitish to buff, streaked with dark brown on the breast and flanks. Sexes are alike.
Identification
Distinguished from the tree pipit by a more olive-toned, less streaked back and a better-marked supercilium. Flight is jerky and undulating. Song is lark-like, uttered on the wing, similar to the tree pipit but faster and higher pitched. Call is a single tseep or spek.
Distribution & Habitat
Breeds from Himalayan Pakistan and India westward through Nepal, into China (north to Gansu), east through Korea to Japan, and north through central Asia into north-eastern Europe. Breeds up to 4,500 m in eastern Nepal. Occasionally a rare vagrant in western Europe. Winters broadly across southern Asia, from peninsular India east to Southeast Asia and the Philippines. Habitat includes open country, evergreen woodland in winter, and groves or wooded biotopes in summer.
Behavior & Ecology
Seen singly or in pairs. Forages on the ground for insects, grass, and weed seeds, flying into trees when disturbed. Breeding season is May to July. The nest is a cup of moss and grass placed on the ground under a tuft of grass or boulder in open woodland and scrub. Clutch size is 3–5 eggs, usually 4, which are dark brown and spotted darker. Usually raises two broods.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Motacillidae
- Genus
- Anthus
Vocalizations
Subspecies (2)
-
Anthus hodgsoni hodgsoni
breeds Himalayas to China and Japan; winters to southeastern Asia
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Bird images and sounds sourced from GBIF, contributed by citizen scientists worldwide under Creative Commons licenses.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.
