Pechora Pipit Anthus gustavi Swinhoe, a New Ornithological Record from Xinjiang

A new bird, Pechora Pipit Anthus gustavi Swinhoe, belonging to the Motacillidae and Passeriformes species, was observed during a comprehensive scientific survey in the Lop Nur region of the Hami prefecture (41°13′N and 93°29′E, 1,143 m a.s.l.), Xinjiang. This was the first record of the species in Xinjiang. A. gustavi is classified as one of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and has been listed in the China Species Red List: Vol. 1 Red List (< 5%) and ranked on the list of national terrestrial protected wildlife in China for economic and scientific value. Based on the distribution of the two subspecies of A. gustavi, it appears likely that the bird was A. g. gustavi of the Lop Nur region.

The size of Pechora Pipit is small to medium with a length of 14–16 cm, and the sexes are identical. There are two separate populations of Pechora Pipit breeding in North Siberia, Ussuriland, Amurland, and Far East Russia. The species occurs as a migrant in the Commander Islands and probably through most of Eastern China and southern Hong Kong of China. Pechora Pipit appears to be a rare migrant or vagrant in Xinjiang, though given the location of its breeding and wintering grounds, it is likely that this small bird of unobtrusive habits is simply overlooked. Other possible reasons for its occurrence in Xinjiang include: the migrations of the birds, global climate changes, environmental changes, natural dispersion of the species, etc.

Pechora Pipit mainly inhabits open forest, meadow and low mountain belt. During the breeding season, the birds are commonly found in the margins of taiga and swampy wetland. They are rarely found in desert areas in the process of migration, except for in desert areas where an oasis or dense riparian vegetation is present.

This research was supported by the National Science and Technology Support Project of China (2008BAC39 B04), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30470262, 30970340). This research result was published on the recently issued Journal of Arid Land (2011, 3(4): 300–302). The article can be linked as follows: http://jal.xjegi.com/EN/abstract/abstract105.shtml.

　　 　  Fig. 1  Pechora Pipit in Lop Nur region of Xinjiang, taken on September 15, 2010. (Anthus gustavi Swinhoe, 1863)