This American/Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus rubescens ssp. was photographed in east Houston, TX on December 14, 2005; although the legs are not really pale, they are not the typical blackish of rubescens/pacificus/alticola either - instead they are a medium tone ("darkish flesh") that can be found in a minority of japonicus (a.k.a Siberian Pipit; what percentage of the population?) and also a minority of rubescens/pacificus/alticola (from my personal observations less than 10%, and most regular in the lighter-streaked pacificus-types). I would suggest that many of the other features (white wing bars; solid black malar patch; thick and extensive streaking continuing well down the flanks; brownish tone on the upperparts with a warm flank wash that contrasts with the remaining white underparts); are more similar to japonicus than the New World forms - ? Click here to see some photos of Siberian Pipits:
