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| Berthelot's pipit | |
|---|---|
| Name | Berthelot's pipit |
| Status | LC |
| Status system | IUCN3.1 |
| Genus | Anthus |
| Species | berthelotii |
| Authority | (Sharpe, 1888) |
Berthelot's pipit is a small passerine bird in the genus Anthus endemic to Macaronesia, principally the Canary Islands, Madeira, and adjacent Atlantic islets. Described by Richard Bowdler Sharpe in 1888 and named for Sabin Berthelot, the species is notable for its insular adaptations, stable population trends on many islands, and occurrence in coastal and arid scrub habitats frequented by visitors to Tenerife, Gran Canaria, and Porto Santo. Studies of its genetics and biogeography have been cited in comparative work involving Darwin's finches, Island biogeography, and avian speciation research from institutions such as the Natural History Museum, London and the University of La Laguna.
Berthelot's pipit was placed in the genus Anthus by ornithologists following morphological and vocal analyses by researchers associated with the British Ornithologists' Union, the Royal Society, and the Zoological Society of London. The species epithet berthelotii commemorates Sabin Berthelot, an active naturalist in 19th-century France and local chronicler of Macaronesian flora and fauna alongside contemporaries like Philip Barker-Webb and Sabine. Subsequent molecular phylogenetic work from teams at the University of Oxford, the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, and the Université de La Laguna has examined relationships among Anthus taxa in line with broader avian systematics pursued by the American Ornithological Society and the International Ornithologists' Union.
Adults are small, with drab brown upperparts and pale underparts, a relatively short tail, and fine bill typical of the genus Anthus; museum specimens are held at collections of the Natural History Museum, London, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Field guides produced by the British Trust for Ornithology, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and the Sociedad Española de Ornitología emphasize subtle plumage differences from continental pipits discussed in works by John Gould and Edward Lear. Vocalizations have been described in sound libraries curated by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the British Library Sound Archive, and comparisons with calls catalogued in the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin aid identification.
Berthelot's pipit occurs across the Canary Islands, Madeira, and several islets such as Deserta Grande and Chinijo Archipelago, occupying coastal scrub, arid slopes, volcanic landscapes, and human-modified gardens near towns like Funchal and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Island records have been compiled by regional conservation groups including the Canary Islands Government's environmental agencies, the Madeira Natural Park administration, and international collaborators from the BirdLife International network. Biogeographers at the University of Cambridge and the Universidade dos Açores have incorporated Berthelot's pipit into broader studies of Macaronesian endemism that reference historical voyages by James Cook and specimen collections in the British Museum.
Foraging behavior—primarily terrestrial gleaning of invertebrates—has been documented in field studies published by researchers affiliated with the University of Porto, the University of La Laguna, and the Institute of Natural Products and Agrobiology (IPNA-CSIC). Seasonal movements are limited, though local dispersal between islets and main islands has been inferred in mark-recapture work conducted under protocols endorsed by the European Union's Natura 2000 network and the Sociedad Canaria de Ornitología. Predation interactions involving introduced mammals recorded by conservationists from the World Wildlife Fund and the Zoological Society of London affect foraging and anti-predator behavior similar to patterns seen in studies of Galápagos and Hawaiian island birds.
Breeding occurs in spring and summer on ledges, hollows, and low vegetation; nests and clutch parameters have been reported in field notes held by the Royal Society and regional research groups such as the Madeira Ornithological Group. Parental care, nest success rates, and fledging periods have been analyzed in work by teams at the Universidade de Lisboa and the University of La Laguna, informing conservation actions led by agencies including the Canary Islands Government and BirdLife International. Comparative breeding biology places Berthelot's pipit in discussions alongside island specialists examined in monographs from the Smithsonian Institution.
Assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List, the species benefits from protected areas like the Parque Natural de la Corona Forestal and the Reserva Natural de Madeira, and from monitoring by organizations such as BirdLife International and the European Bird Census Council. Threats include habitat alteration, invasive species documented by the Galician Institute of Marine Research and biosecurity reports to the European Commission, and localized declines reported in surveys by the Canary Islands Government and the Regional Directorate for the Environment of Madeira. Conservation measures align with frameworks from the Convention on Biological Diversity and regional Natura 2000 designations administered by the European Commission.
Berthelot's pipit features in regional natural history outreach led by museums like the Museo de la Naturaleza y el Hombre and educational programs at universities including the University of La Laguna and the University of Madeira, and appears in eco-tourism guides for Tenerife and Madeira Island promoted by local tourism boards. Historical accounts by figures such as Sabin Berthelot and collectors associated with the British Museum contribute to its cultural footprint, while contemporary conservation partnerships involve NGOs like World Wildlife Fund and community groups coordinated with the Canary Islands Government and the Madeira Natural Park administration.
Category:Anthus Category:Birds of Macaronesia