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Pipits and Wagtails (Motacillidae)

Buff-bellied Pipit (Anthus rubescens) - HBW 9, p. 767

French: Pipit d’Amérique German: Pazifikpieper Spanish: Bisbita Norteamericano
Other common names: American (Water/Rock) Pipit; Siberian (Water) Pipit (japonicus)

Taxonomy: Alauda Rubescens Tunstall, 1771, Pennsylvania, USA.
Possibly forms a clade with A. pratensis, A. roseatus, A. cervinus, A. spinoletta and A. petrosus. May form a superspecies, and until recently treated as conspecific, with last two of those. Recent DNA studies, as well as plumage differences, suggest that races may represent more than one species. On the other hand, pacificus is doubtfully distinct from nominate in terms of morphology, and merged with latter by some authors. Geographical border between nominate race and japonicus uncertain, and population breeding in extreme NE Siberia possibly.. View all taxonomy...

Taxonomy: Alauda Rubescens Tunstall, 1771, Pennsylvania, USA.
Possibly forms a clade with A. pratensis, A. roseatus, A. cervinus, A. spinoletta and A. petrosus. May form a superspecies, and until recently treated as conspecific, with last two of those. Recent DNA studies, as well as plumage differences, suggest that races may represent more than one species. On the other hand, pacificus is doubtfully distinct from nominate in terms of morphology, and merged with latter by some authors. Geographical border between nominate race and japonicus uncertain, and population breeding in extreme NE Siberia possibly belongs with former; further study needed. Proposed race geophilus (from Aleutians) synonymized with nominate; haermsi, described on basis of specimen from non-breeding area in C Asia (E Uzbekistan), considered better treated as synonym of japonicus. Four subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

  • japonicus Temminck & Schlegel, 1847 - breeds N, C & E Russia in SE Taymyr, W Siberian Plateau, and from E of R Lena, Yakutsk region and L Baikal E to Chukotsk Peninsula, Commander Is, Sakhalin and Kuril Is; winters in S Asia.
  • pacificus Todd, 1935 - breeds W North America (Alaska, and Coast Range S to Oregon); winters S to W Mexico.
  • alticola Todd, 1935 - breeds C & S Rocky Mts (S from S British Columbia), also locally in mountains W to California (SW USA); winters S to Mexico.
  • rubescens (Tunstall, 1771) - breeds N & E Canada, W Greenland and extreme NE USA; winters S to Central America.

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