Scientific name: Anthus richardi Vieillot, 1818
Bird group: Pipits
Field characters. 18 cm. Larger than Tawny Pipit; longer tail, longer legs, stouter bill, and very long hindclaw. Main colour buff-brown. Head with pale lore, eye-ring and supercilium; chin and throat cream with narrow moustachial stripe and long black-brown malar stripe; chest ochre with band of thin streaks; rest of underparts buff-white. Panel on wing formed by median coverts not as contrasting as Tawny Pipit's. May be confused with juvenile Tawny Pipit but differs in size, pale lore, ochre flanks and conspicuous white outer tail feathers.
Voice. Calls rasping and nasal "pchreeep". Song a simple and monotonous "tria-ia-ia-ia".
Distribution. Breeds in C and E Asia. Scarce passage visitor to many European countries.
Habitat. Extensive open stony or loamy grassland and steppe; locally in arable fields and wastelands.
Food. Insects; also some seeds.