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The following table only outlines the features useful in the separation of petrosus and littoralis in breeding plumage.

	PETROSUS	LITTORALIS
HEAD	never as grey nor the supercilium usually as distinct as littoralis, although those on bleached and worn summer birds may be prominent	some which have extensively undergone the pre-breeding moult can attain a particularly pure grey head and display a prominent (occasionally very so) pale supercilium, although quite often it is rather poorly defined and less prominent above the lores
MANTLE	usually typical olive-grey although a small minority attain some purer grey on the nape, hindneck and mantle (some occasionally approaching littoralis in this respect)	as with the head, often a more extensive purer grey on the mantle and hindneck
UNDERPARTS	heavily streaked and coloured as in non-breeding plumage but although a small minority can show some slight pinkish breast feathering it is never as extreme as that in littoralis, bleached and worn summer birds can often appear very pale on the underparts, particularly on the throat area	particularly variable with extreme birds often resembling spinoletta in having significantly reduced breast streaking (rarely even completely lacking) and a conspicuous pinkish wash to the breast (occasionally even more extensive), most individuals however have reduced breast streaking appearing almost 'spotted' with a faint brownish/pink wash, whereas other birds still display heavy streaking although slightly less 'messy' than petrosus

Above two images: Scandinavian Rock Pipit (littoralis, same individual), Covenham Reservoir, March 1998 (Roy Harvey). This bird was quite understandably initially mis-identified as a Water Pipit and the pinkish flush on the breast is indeed quite strong and extensive, the streaking is much reduced and the head appears greyish but this individual is infact a fairly classic 'extreme' spring littoralis. The remnant streaking on the flanks is still typical Rock Pipit, rather bold and diffuse, the mantle and scapulars are greyish and lack contrast with the head that would be expected with Water Pipit, the malar stripe and patch are quite obvious and whilst the supercilium appears strongly white, it is only so from above and behind the eye.

Above: Scandinavian Rock Pipit (littoralis), Brockholes Quarry, Lancashire, 14.03.06 (Bill Aspin). The underparts of this individual are paler than would be perhaps expected on any petrosus, the throat is beginning to attain a peachy tone, the supercilium is very strong and whitish from above and behind the eye, the breast streaking is reduced across the breast and appears almost spotted and the mantle, scapulars and particularly the head are certainly greyer than might be expected from most petrosus.

Above: Scandinavian Rock Pipit (littoralis), Lynemouth, Northumberland, 06.03.05 (Alan Gilbertson). Not dissimilar to the Bedfordshire bird below, this bird appears grey on the head, mantle and scapulars, rather pale on the underparts (especially the throat), displays an obvious whitish supercilium (still most obvious from above and behind the eye), has fairly conspicuous pale wing bars and has reduced streaking across the breast. Note how broad, diffuse and messy the flank streaking is in relation to those of Water Pipit (see Page 3) and the underpart ground colour is a dirty, off-white with a distinct brownish tone around the rear flanks.

Above: Scandinavian Rock Pipit (littoralis), Harrold and Odell Country Park, Bedfordshire, 27.03.04 (Steve Blain). A typical individual, greyish head, mantle and scapulars and obvious supercilium especially from behind and above the eye.

Above: Scandinavian Rock Pipit (littoralis, same individual as immediately above), Harrold and Odell Country Park, Bedfordshire, 27.03.04 (Steve Blain). The breast streaking here is obviously much reduced and appears spotted rather than streaked (although still far too 'messy' and diffuse along the flanks for Water Pipit) and a peachy tone is evident, note the white looking throat and obvious malar stripe and patch.

Above: Scandinavian Rock Pipit (littoralis), Blackstone Edge Reservoir, Greater Manchester, 30.03.07 (Sean Gray). Yet another bird which caused initial confusion, this littoralis exhibits underpart streaking far too strong and extensive for any Water Pipit, the supercilium is very prominent although mainly above and behind the eye, as is the malar stripe that reaches the base of the bill, whilst the head, mantle and scapulars are very greyish. The wing bars, especially on the median coverts here look very white and prominent.

Above: Scandinavian Rock Pipit (littoralis, same individual as immediately above), Blackstone Edge Reservoir, Greater Manchester, 30.03.07 (Sean Gray). The outer-tail feathers appeared quite pale on this individual and after careful observation were said to be buffish/white, although initially they appeared plain whitish (and hence caused confusion) and the breast, although not evident in these images, was noticeably pinkish (David Winnard pers comm. and Simon Hitchen in litt.). The greyish mantle and scapulars are concolourous with the head, unlike the contrast expected with the brownish mantle and greyish head of Water Pipit.

Above: Scandinavian Rock Pipit (littoralis, same individual as preceding two), Blackstone Edge Reservoir, Greater Manchester, 20.03.07 (Sean Gray) Whilst the exact colour of the back, rump and upper-tail coverts here is difficult to pick out it clearly has an olive tone and not the obvious, often contrastingly warm brownish tone exhibited by Water Pipit. As the area of the rump is usually concealed by the wings it is least susceptible to colour fade and wear and usually remains a key feature in separating difficult and faded individuals. Note how in this image the outer web to the outer-tail feather (p6) appears whitish and note also the very worn tertials.

Above: Scandinavian Rock Pipit (littoralis), Audenshaw Reservoirs, 09.04.06 (Rob Adderley). This bird was quite controversial at the time and was originally identified as a Water Pipit. Most of the confusion seems to have arisen from the birds apparently very white outer-tail feathers and they certainly appear so from these images but despite my initial thoughts of the very bright conditions the photos were taken in affecting the colouration of the images (consider the very white looking edge to the first tertial in the top left image and the 'persil' whiteness of the droppings on the wall in the lower two images), field observations seem to back them up (Rob Adderley, pers comm.). Of course, the outer-tails feathers of littoralis are often much paler and whiter in appearance than petrosus but either way this bird has a full suite of pro-littoralis features with rather greyish nape, mantle and scapulars (lower left image especially), reduced breast streaking but with flank streaking still slightly too large and diffuse for Water Pipit (and clearly extending well onto the belly), a slightly brownish wash to the very rear flanks (more prominent in the top left image) a peachy wash on the breast, strong, pale supercilium and very prominent malar stripes (clearly reaching the base of the bill) and patches. Numbering the tail feathers from the images is never going to be easy and is subject to some personal opinion but whilst the outer-tail feather (p6) has what appears to be a clear white edge, it would seem that p5 (probably visible in the top left image) lacks any white wedge.

Above: Rock Pipit (petrosus), Portland, Dorset, 28.05.06 (Chris Cook). A true petrosus, this rather bleached individual clearly displays a prominent whitish supercilium, apparent whitish outer-tail feathers (although lighting effects may be playing a small part here) and is much paler on the underparts, especially the throat. It still has the petrosus characteristically strong and messy underpart streaking but from this angle appears quite brown on the upperparts, reinforcing the need for caution when assessing poorly seen birds and/or single images. Compare this bird to those non-breeding plumaged littoralis on Page 2.