Appearance:

Very deep and heavy, conical bill. Large head and bull-neck, gives the bird a front-heavy appearance, especially in flight. The short tail adds to the impression. Wings with broad, white bars and tail with white terminal band. Bill grey in breeding plumage, and yellowish in winter. Largely unmistakable, but easily overlooked when hiding high in foliage. Often flies high, even for short distances. Flight heavily undulated.

Sound:

Most typical call a sharp and explosive "tzek", with abrupt, emphasized, cut-off ending. Quite similar to Robin, but harder, with each syllable marginally longer with a slightly wheezing timbre. Repetitions are slower and more singular than Robin. Diagnostic when interspersed with high frequency notes.

Contact call:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Appearance:

Easy to identify when seen in mountainous habitat where Rock Pipit does not occur, but harder when occasionally seen at the coast where both species may be present. Told from Rock Pipit by: Contrasting, double wing-bars, unstreaked belly (and only modestly streaked flanks), brownish rump, broad supercilium, paler underwing and pure white outer tail feathers. Summer plumage with more strongly coloured buff or pinkish underparts and greyer upperparts, but difficult to identify when plumage worn.

Sound:

Similar to Rock Pipit. Song slightly more melodious, often with Tree Pipit like glissandi at end of phrase. Contact call sharper and more drawn.

Song:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-photo:Betty van Middelkoop, Licence,Link.

CC-sound:Jarek Matusiak, Licence,Link.