New Zealand Pipit

[AlanShaw]

New Zealand Pipit is now listed by IOC as a separate species from both Australian Pipit and Richard's Pipit. On eBird it is still listed as Australasian Pipit. Which do you follow in NZ, as in the UK we have adopted the IOC classifications?

NZ Pipit 1.jpg (421.11 KiB) Viewed 5847 times

NZ Pipit 2.jpg (356.62 KiB) Viewed 5847 times

NZ Pipit videograbs from South Bay, Kaikoura, 16th May, 2020.

[Bobolink]

Hi Alan

eBird follows the Clements (American) Checklist, which differs from the IOC checklist. Australasian is therefore still both Australian and New Zealand on eBird. However in our Official Checklist (2010) it states that Australian Pipit is regarded as a separate species from New Zealand Pipit. So even though EBird doesn't recognise their separateness, OSNZ does and has done for many years.
It would be nice to have annual updates for our Checklist as the British Ornithologists Union does, but there doesn't seem to be the willingness in OSNZ to take this on. I'm sure many birders would be pleased to see this happen. The Official Checklist is updated every 10- 20 years according to Birds New Zealand, so we may be due another one soon, but don't hold your breath!

[AlanShaw]

Thanks for the explanation. I was aware that NZ Pipit has long been treated as a separate species in NZ. I suppose that eBird is an American app so they will follow the American Checklist.

[Jake]

Looks like ebird (and Wikipedia) made the change in 2022. I was searching "Pihoihoi" on Google and took me to the Australian Pipit Wikipedia page

[AlanShaw]

Good that we now all seem to be on the same page as regards NZ Pipit and Aus Pipit!

[andrewcrossland]

With the last month of ebird nz atlas project and the movement of pipits down to the lowlands it’s well worth a concerted effort to search for them and plot their wintering distribution.