Upland Pipit taking off…

YC Wee
on 8th August 2018

The Upland Pipit (Anthus sylanus) is a poorly known mountain species found between 1,200 m and 3,000 m in the Himalayas and south China. It is usually seen along steep, boulder-strewn slopes covered with low vegetation. During non-breeding periods it moves to lower altitudes.

These Upland Pipits take off with open wings, as is normal. Subsequently, as seen in the images above and below, a peculiar bunching of the secondaries and some tertials(?) is seen, during display through to landing. This was observed during more than one sorties.

Not sure whether this is confined to this particular specimen or practiced by all Upland Pipits. And whether similar pattern is observed among other pipits or even other species?

This was observed at Cheer Pheasant Point, Vinayak, Pangot, Himachal Pradesh, India on 1st May 2017

Comments are welcome.

Shyam Ghate
Mumbai, India
30th July 2018

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

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