Olive-backed Pipit

This species is defined as a Review Species. Please submit your records of this species via our record submission page.

Scientific Name: Anthus hodgsoni
Malay Name: Apit-apit Pokok Timur
Chinese Name: 树鹨

Range:
Found in Siberia, Mongolia, China to Japan and winters to Indian subcontinent, southern China and Southeast Asia

Taxonomy:
Polytypic. Subspecies are: hodgsoni, yunnanensis.

Size: 16-17 cm

Identification:
Resembles Red-throated Pipit but has plain greenish-olive upperparts, broad whitish supercilium and lacks the pinkish-red head-sides and throat.

Similar looking species: Red-throated Pipit

Habitat: Wooded area.

Behaviour/Ecology: Eats mainly insects, but takes some seeds, especially outside the nesting season. Forages on the ground or in low trees.

Local Status: Very rare migrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

Featured articles:

Past accepted records in our database:

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Olive-backed Pipit at Bidadari on December 2010. Photo Credit: Mark G
Olive-backed Pipit at Thailand. Photo credit: Daniel Koh aka Hiker
Olive-backed Pipit at Thailand. Photo credit: Myron Tay
External Links:
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (Olive-backed Pipit)
References:
BirdLife International. (2016). Anthus hodgsoni. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22718550A88191672.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023
Alström, P. & Mild, K. (2004). Pipits and Wagtails of Europe, Asia and North America. Christopher Helm.
Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.
Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula (Vol. 1). Academic Press, London.