Meadow Pipit

The Meadow Pipit is like the majority of pipits - a small, striped, brown bird, about 15cm in length with no particularly striking features, making its identification quite tricky. In its distribution area, there are 5 other bird species that look very similar. Voice is the best criteria (Chapter to follow) followed by a set of criteria which should all be positive for each one to be conclusive. Let us look at the adult, which has no sexual dimorphism.
Firstly, the head. The Meadow Pipit generally has an open face. The dark eye is surrounded by pale, the lores are pale, a faint pale eyebrow is above the eye, the cap is finely striped and a wide pale moustache starts at the beak and ends at the base of the neck. This moustache is above a blackish-brown band under the eye which is highlighted by a finer, clearer black line reaching a black zone on the sides of the neck. The chin and throat are white. The beak is quite thin with a yellow lower jaw. This head pattern loses its clarity throughout the spring.
Secondly, the mantle. In new plumage, it is clearly striped lengthways. On a beige-brown background, olive in tint, there alternate wide blackish-brown stripes and pale yellowish-brown ones. These should not be white or cream-ochre at most. In worn plumage, the mantle loses its contrasts, becomes dull and less typified.
Thirdly, the underparts. The background colour is white, with a russet tint in new plumage. This russet should not be limited to the chest but should also reach the belly and sides. At the rear of the sides, there is usually a darker, ruddier zone. With wear, the lower parts will pale until they are almost white. The chest is clearly marked with black stripes which continue along the sides and which usually form two neat black lines.The middle of the chest is often marked with an irregular black spot, a bit like members of the Nearctic family of buntings. Finally, the legs. They are usually pale, ranging from pink to rosy, sometimes yellowish and more rarely a light brown. The hind claw is very long, longer than the finger itself.
An additional criterion when it is seen, is the rump. The Meadow Pipit has a smooth rump in a tawny hue, with an olive tint, that contrasts well with the rest.
The juvenile has new plumage, darker and more red-brown than that of the adult, especially underneath.
To conclude, let's quickly look quickly at the other characteristics of the other pipits, which can help avoid confusion. In our area, in the summertime, the Tree Pipit is the main obstacle to avoid. In it, the reddish colour of the underside is limited to the chest and the stripes on the flanks are much finer than those on the chest.
At the time of migration, the young Red-throated Pipit looks a lot like the Meadow Pipit. You need to look at the mantle, which in it, features clear white epaulettes. In addition, the call is very different.
In the wintertime, the first winter Rock Pipit or the winter adult adds to the difficulty. The mantle of the Rock Pipit is always much more uniform, without clear stripes or with faint stripes. Generally, a clear white eyebrow above the eye. Its legs are dark, ranging from reddish to brownish, even blackish.
Let's leave aside the Petchora Pipit, which is very rare in France.