The Nilgiri pipit (Anthus nilghiriensis) is a distinctive species of pipit that is endemic to the high altitude hills of southern India. Richer brown in colour than other pipits in the region, it is distinctive in having the streaking on the breast continuing along the flanks. It is non-migratory and has a tendency to fly into low trees when disturbed and is closely related to the tree pipits Anthus hodgsoni and Anthus trivialis.
The Nilgiri pipit is about 12.6–14 centimetres (5.0–5.5 in) long and is richly coloured, has dark lores, a buff supercilium and throat. It lacks any malar stripes. The flanks, breast and sides of neck are brighter buff and that bill is completely dark. The crown is heavily streaked in black as are the upperparts. The outer tail feathers are also buff coloured and there is no white in the plumage. The streaking on the breast is fine and it extends along the flanks.[2][3][4]
The first four primaries of the wing are almost equal and the fifth is about 1–2 mm shorter. The primaries from the second to the fifth are emarginate. The tail feathers are pointed and the second outer feather has a tapering triangle along the shaft and the third with a small triangle at the tip.[5] Abnormal albino individuals have been reported.[6]
The species was first described by Jerdon in 1840 under the name of Anthus rufescens, a name already used by Temminck for a different species. Blyth referred to it under the name of Anthus montanus. These are however invalid names and it was redescribed under replacement name of A. nilghiriensis by Richard Bowdler Sharpe in 1885.[8]
The Nilgiri pipit is closely related to the tree pipits and is a sister to the clade containing Anthus trivialis and Anthus hodgsoni from which it diverged in the Pliocene.[7]
Distribution and habitatEdit
The Nilgiri pipit is closely associated with short montane grasslands interspersed with marshy grounds and small streams mostly in hill slopes above 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) in the Ponmudi hills and above 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) in the Nilgiris, Palani and High Ranges.[5] They have also been claimed to occur in the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve[9] but a 2014 study suggests that the species is restricted to the high altitude grassy peaks of the Nilgiris and the Anamalais. Museum specimens exist from the Palani ranges but habitat changes may have led to its reduction or extirpation as the species was not found in surveys in the 21st century.[10]
BehaviourEdit
Nilgiri pipits are found singly or in pairs. When disturbed they usually fly into a low bush or tree.[2] They breed in summer from April to July. The nest is a cup of grass in short grass. The clutch consists of two to three grey brown speckled eggs.[5] They feed on grass seeds and insects with invertebrates becoming more important during the breeding season.[1]
StatusEdit
The world population is estimated to be about 4000 birds based on a density estimate of about 0.1 birds per hectare in suitable habitat. The grassland habitat is threatened by wattle plantations and the colonization of grasslands by species such as broom (Cytisus scoparius) in the Nilgiris and by fire.[1][11][12]
ReferencesEdit
^ abcBirdLife International (2016). "Anthus nilghiriensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22718582A94586848. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22718582A94586848.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^ abRasmussen PC & JC Anderton (2005). Birds of South Asia. The Ripley Guide. Volume 2. Washington DC & Barcelona: Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Edicions. pp. 321–322.
^Hall, BP (1961). "The taxonomy and identification of pipits (genus. Anthus)". Bull. Br. Mus. (Nat. Hist.). 7: 243–289.
^Oates, EW (1890). The Fauna of British India. Birds. Volume 2. London: Taylor and Francis. p. 305.
^ abcAli, S & SD Ripley (1998). Handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan. Volume 9 (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 271–273.
^ abAlstrom, P.; Jonsson, K. A.; Fjeldsa, J.; Odeen, A.; Ericson, P. G. P.; Irestedt, M. (2015). "Dramatic niche shifts and morphological change in two insular bird species". Royal Society Open Science. 2 (3): 140364. Bibcode:2015RSOS....240364A. doi:10.1098/rsos.140364. PMC4448822. PMID 26064613.
^Sharpe, R.B. (1885). Catalogue of the Passeriformes, or perching birds, in the collection of the British Museum. Fringilliformes. Part 1. pp. 550–551.
^Johnsingh A.J.T. (2001). "The Kalakad–Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve: A global heritage of biological diversity" (PDF). Current Science. 80 (3): 378–388.
^Robin, V.V.; C.K.Vishnudas & Uma Ramakrishnan (2014). "Reassessment of the distribution and threat status of the Western Ghats endemic bird, Nilgiri Pipit Anthus nilghiriensis" (PDF). Current Science. 107 (4): 622–630.
^Anonymous (1998). SACON annual report. SACON, Coimbatore. p. 23.
^Zarri, A. A.; A. R. Rahmani & M. J. Behan (2006). "Habitat modifications by scotch broom Cytisus scoparius invasion of grasslands of the upper Nilgiris in India". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 103: 356–365.
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Anthus nilghiriensis.
Wikispecies has information related to Anthus nilghiriensis.
Calls
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October 21, 2023
nilgiri, pipit, anthus, nilghiriensis, distinctive, species, pipit, that, endemic, high, altitude, hills, southern, india, richer, brown, colour, than, other, pipits, region, distinctive, having, streaking, breast, continuing, along, flanks, migratory, tendenc. The Nilgiri pipit Anthus nilghiriensis is a distinctive species of pipit that is endemic to the high altitude hills of southern India Richer brown in colour than other pipits in the region it is distinctive in having the streaking on the breast continuing along the flanks It is non migratory and has a tendency to fly into low trees when disturbed and is closely related to the tree pipits Anthus hodgsoni and Anthus trivialis Nilgiri pipitConservation statusVulnerable IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClade DinosauriaClass AvesOrder PasseriformesFamily MotacillidaeGenus AnthusSpecies A nilghiriensisBinomial nameAnthus nilghiriensisSharpe 1885 Contents 1 Description 2 Taxonomy 3 Distribution and habitat 4 Behaviour 5 Status 6 References 7 External linksDescription EditThe Nilgiri pipit is about 12 6 14 centimetres 5 0 5 5 in long and is richly coloured has dark lores a buff supercilium and throat It lacks any malar stripes The flanks breast and sides of neck are brighter buff and that bill is completely dark The crown is heavily streaked in black as are the upperparts The outer tail feathers are also buff coloured and there is no white in the plumage The streaking on the breast is fine and it extends along the flanks 2 3 4 The first four primaries of the wing are almost equal and the fifth is about 1 2 mm shorter The primaries from the second to the fifth are emarginate The tail feathers are pointed and the second outer feather has a tapering triangle along the shaft and the third with a small triangle at the tip 5 Abnormal albino individuals have been reported 6 nbsp The streaking extends along the flanks nbsp The hind claw is stout and curvedTaxonomy Edit Anthus hodgsoniAnthus trivialisAnthus nilghiriensis Anthus gutturalisAnthus ruficollisPhylogeny of living relatives 7 The species was first described by Jerdon in 1840 under the name of Anthus rufescens a name already used by Temminck for a different species Blyth referred to it under the name of Anthus montanus These are however invalid names and it was redescribed under replacement name of A nilghiriensis by Richard Bowdler Sharpe in 1885 8 The Nilgiri pipit is closely related to the tree pipits and is a sister to the clade containing Anthus trivialis and Anthus hodgsoni from which it diverged in the Pliocene 7 Distribution and habitat EditThe Nilgiri pipit is closely associated with short montane grasslands interspersed with marshy grounds and small streams mostly in hill slopes above 1 000 metres 3 300 ft in the Ponmudi hills and above 1 500 metres 4 900 ft in the Nilgiris Palani and High Ranges 5 They have also been claimed to occur in the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve 9 but a 2014 study suggests that the species is restricted to the high altitude grassy peaks of the Nilgiris and the Anamalais Museum specimens exist from the Palani ranges but habitat changes may have led to its reduction or extirpation as the species was not found in surveys in the 21st century 10 Behaviour EditNilgiri pipits are found singly or in pairs When disturbed they usually fly into a low bush or tree 2 They breed in summer from April to July The nest is a cup of grass in short grass The clutch consists of two to three grey brown speckled eggs 5 They feed on grass seeds and insects with invertebrates becoming more important during the breeding season 1 Status EditThe world population is estimated to be about 4000 birds based on a density estimate of about 0 1 birds per hectare in suitable habitat The grassland habitat is threatened by wattle plantations and the colonization of grasslands by species such as broom Cytisus scoparius in the Nilgiris and by fire 1 11 12 References Edit a b c BirdLife International 2016 Anthus nilghiriensis IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e T22718582A94586848 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 3 RLTS T22718582A94586848 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 a b Rasmussen PC amp JC Anderton 2005 Birds of South Asia The Ripley Guide Volume 2 Washington DC amp Barcelona Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Edicions pp 321 322 Hall BP 1961 The taxonomy and identification of pipits genus Anthus Bull Br Mus Nat Hist 7 243 289 Oates EW 1890 The Fauna of British India Birds Volume 2 London Taylor and Francis p 305 a b c Ali S amp SD Ripley 1998 Handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan Volume 9 2nd ed Oxford University Press pp 271 273 Beadnell CB 1936 An albino Nilgiri Pipit Anthus nilghiriensis Sharpe J Bombay Nat Hist Soc 39 1 174 a b Alstrom P Jonsson K A Fjeldsa J Odeen A Ericson P G P Irestedt M 2015 Dramatic niche shifts and morphological change in two insular bird species Royal Society Open Science 2 3 140364 Bibcode 2015RSOS 240364A doi 10 1098 rsos 140364 PMC 4448822 PMID 26064613 Sharpe R B 1885 Catalogue of the Passeriformes or perching birds in the collection of the British Museum Fringilliformes Part 1 pp 550 551 Johnsingh A J T 2001 The Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve A global heritage of biological diversity PDF Current Science 80 3 378 388 Robin V V C K Vishnudas amp Uma Ramakrishnan 2014 Reassessment of the distribution and threat status of the Western Ghats endemic bird Nilgiri Pipit Anthus nilghiriensis PDF Current Science 107 4 622 630 Anonymous 1998 SACON annual report SACON Coimbatore p 23 Zarri A A A R Rahmani amp M J Behan 2006 Habitat modifications by scotch broom Cytisus scoparius invasion of grasslands of the upper Nilgiris in India Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 103 356 365 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Anthus nilghiriensis nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Anthus nilghiriensis Calls Photographs and videos Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nilgiri pipit amp oldid 1167546741, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
