Pipits and Wagtails (Motacillidae)

Mountain Pipit (Anthus hoeschi) - HBW 9, p. 747

French: Pipit alticole German: Hoeschspornpieper Spanish: Bisbita Montano

Taxonomy: Anthus hoeschi Stresemann, 1938, Erongo Mountains, Damaraland, Namibia.
Recent studies suggest that it is most closely linked phylogenetically to A. latistriatus. Formerly treated as part of expanded “A. novaeseelandiae complex”, and synonymized with race bocagei of A. cinnamomeus by some authors. Described races editus (from Lesotho) and lwenarum (from NW Zambia) considered indistinguishable from other populations. Monotypic.

Distribution: Breeds in the Drakensberg of South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal, N Eastern Cape) and Lesotho; migrates to E Angola, S DRCongo and NW Zambia.