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Motacillidae
鶺鴒科
jílíng kē

鹡鸰科
jílíng kē

セキレイ科
sekirei ka

할미새과
halmi-sae-gwa

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General

Information is from dictionaries and other sources. Comments and corrections welcome. Hover over Green Lettering Green lettering at this site hides a tool tip with glosses, further explanations, etc. Hover cursor to reveal. to see additional information.

The Motacillidae fall into two visually distinct groups, the wagtails and the pipits, a distinction that is reflected in popular and ornithological naming. Chinese ornithological naming is as follows:

1. Wagtails (including Dendronanthus) are known as 鶺鴒 jílíng. The name can also be written 脊令 (the same characters minus the 'bird' radical ). This name has been directly borrowed into Japanese as 鶺鴒 sekirei.

2. The pipits are known in ornithological Chinese as liù, with the variant pronunciation, still recognised in Taiwan, of liào. The word liù was originally used in Chinese for the larks. For example, 天鷚 tiān liù is found in the 18th century Imperial Pentaglot Mirror (37) in the meaning 'lark'. This naming is also reflected in the Japanese reading of as ヒバリ hibari 'lark'.

In Japanese usage, the name ヒバリ hibari was extended to other lark-like species such as the 岩鷚 イワヒバリ iwa-hibari 'rock lark' or 'accentor' and the 田鷚 タヒバリ ta-hibari 'field lark' or 'pipit'. In a similar vein, the name of the Olive-back Tree Pipit was represented in writing as 木鷚 'tree lark' (although this was possibly influenced by Chinese). All these names entered Chinese ornithological usage via the first Chinese-language ornithological list, Chinese Birds of 1927 (35), which from the outset treated the pipits as liù rather than 田鷚 tián-liù 'field-larks'. This began the ornithological Chinese custom of using liù to refer narrowly to the pipits. As a result, the accentors or 岩鷚 yán-liù in Chinese are technically 'rock pipits' rather than 'rock larks'.

The wagtails have a number of alternative names in Chinese. The significance of the characters used is not totally clear.

精列 jīng liè 'spirit row'

連錢 lián qián 'link money' (also meaning 'bridle')

雪姑 xuě gū 'snow aunt'

雍渠 yōng qú

Species names

› ABOUT THIS TABLE‹
SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH
CHINESE
JAPANESE
OTHER
Dendronanthus
Latin
English
Chinese (Taiwan)
Chinese (Mainland)
Other Ch
Japanese
Other J
Korean
Vietnamese
Dendronanthus indicus
link to photo
Forest wagtail (山鹡鸰)
山鶺鴒
shān jílíng
'mountain wagtail'
山鹡鸰
(山鶺鴒)
shān jílíng
'mountain wagtail'
or
林鹡鸰
(林鶺鴒)
lín jílíng
'forest wagtail' (alt in 1)
(树鹡鸰)
樹鶺鴒
shù jílíng
'tree wagtail'
(刮刮油)
刮刮油
guā guā yóu
'(literally) skim off oil = accept bribes, etc.'
(山鹡鸰)
山鶺鴒
shān jílíng
'mountain wagtail' (35, from Zool. Nomen.)
(栖树鹡鸰)
棲樹鶺鴒
qī-shù jílíng
'tree-perching wagtail' (early ornithological) (35)
イワミセキレイ
(石見鶺鴒)
iwami sekirei
'Iwami wagtail'
  물레새
mul-le-sae
'water le bird'
Chim Chìa vôi rừng
'forest wagtail (bird)' (12, 13, 34)
Anthus
Latin
English
Chinese (Taiwan)
Chinese (Mainland)
Other Ch
Japanese
Other J
Korean
Vietnamese
Anthus gustavi
link to photo
Pechora pipit
Petchora pipit
(白背鹨)
白背鷚
bái-bèi liù or bái-bèi liào
'white-backed pipit'
北鹨
(北鷚)
běi liù
'north pipit'
(培绰啦鹨)
培綽拉鷚
péichuòlā liù
'pechora pipit' (early ornithological) (35)
セジロタヒバリ
(背白田雲雀 ~ 背白田鷚)
sejiro ta-hibari
'white-backed field-lark'
  흰등밭종다리
huin-deung-bat-jongdari
'white-backed field-lark'
 
Anthus trivialis
link to photo
Tree pipit (林鹨)
林鷚
lín liù
or lín liào
'forest pipit'
林鹨
(林鷚)
lín liù
'forest pipit'
  ヨーロッパビンズイ
(ヨーロッパ便追 ~ ヨーロッパ木鷚)
yōroppa binzui
'European binzui'
  나무밭종다리
namu-bat-jongdari
'tree field-lark'
or
모래색밭종다리
morae-saek-bat-jongdari
'sand-coloured field-lark'
 
Anthus hodgsoni
link to photolink to photo
Olive-backed pipit
Indian tree pipit
East Asian tree pipit
(树鹨)
樹鷚
shù liù
or shù liào
'tree pipit'
树鹨
(樹鷚)
shù liù
'tree pipit'
(木鹨)
木鷚
mù liù
'tree pipit' (35, from Zool. Nomen.)
(麦鹨子)
麥鷚子
mài liùzi
'grain pipit'
(麦如蓝儿 / (麦如兰儿)
麥如藍兒 / 麥如蘭兒
màirúlánr
'mairulanr' (meaning of characters is 'grain like blue' or 'grain like orchid')
(树鲁鴓)
樹魯鴓
shù lǔ miè
'tree Shandong (?) warbler'
(大鹨)
大鷚
dà liù
'large pipit' (also used for lark)
(东方木鹨)
東方木鷚
dōng-fāng mù liù
'eastern tree pipit' (early ornithological) (35)
ビンズイ
(便追 ~ 木鷚)
binzui
'European binzui'
キヒバリ
(木雲雀)
ki-hibari
'tree lark'
힝둥새
hingdung-sae
'hingdung bird'
Chim Manh Vân Nam
'Yunnanese pipit (bird)' (12, 13, 34)
Anthus cervinus
link to photolink to photo
Red-throated pipit (赤喉鹨)
赤喉鷚
chì-hóu liù or chì-hóu liào
'red-throated pipit'
红喉鹨
(紅喉鷚)
hóng-hóu liù
'red-throated pipit'
(赤喉鹨)
赤喉鷚
chì-hóu liù
'red-throated pipit' (early ornithological) (35)
ムネアカタヒバリ
(胸赤田雲雀 ~ 胸赤田鷚)
mune-aka ta-hibari
'red-breasted field-lark'
  붉은가슴밭종다리
bulgeun-gaseum-bat-jongdari
'red-breasted field-lark'
Chim Manh họng đỏ
'red-throated pipit (bird)' (12, 13, 34)
Anthus rubescens
link to photo
American Pipit
or
Buff-bellied Pipit
(黃腹鹨)
黃腹鷚
huáng-fù liù or huáng-fù liào
'yellow-bellied pipit'
黄腹鹨
(黃腹鷚)
huáng-fù liù
'yellow-bellied pipit' (2, 3, 4)
  アメリカタヒバリ
(アメリカ田雲雀 ~ アメリカ田鷚)
amerika ta-hibari
'American field-lark' (Wikipedia)
  밭종다리
bat-jongdari
'field-lark'
Chim Manh bụng vàng
'yellow-bellied pipit (bird)' (34)
Chim Manh lưng xám
'grey-backed pipit (bird)' (13)
Anthus pratensis
link to photo
Meadow pipit (草地鹨)
草地鷚
cǎo-dì liù or cǎo-dì liào
meadow pipit'
草地鹨
(草地鷚)
cǎo dì liù
'meadow pipit'
  マキバタヒバリ
(牧場田雲雀 ~ 牧場田鷚)
makiba ta-hibari
'meadow field-lark'
  밭종다리
pul-bat-jongdari
'meadow field-lark'
 
Anthus spinoletta
link to photo
Water pipit
Rock pipit
(水鹨)
水鷚
shuǐ liù or shuǐ liào
'water pipit'
水鹨
(水鷚)
shuǐ liù
'water pipit'
(冰鸡儿)
冰雞兒

bing-jir
'frozen fowl/chicken' (31)
Anthus spinoletta japonicus:
(田鹨)
田鷚
tián-liù
'field pipit' (35, from Zool. Nomen.)
(淡色腿水鹨)
淡色腿鷚
dàn-sè tuǐ shuǐ-liù
'light-coloured leg water-pipit' (early ornithological) (35)
(日本水鹨)
日本水鷚
rì-běn shuǐ-liù
'Japanese water pipit' (early ornithological) (35)
Anthus spinoletta blakestoni:
(小水鹨)
小水鷚
xiǎo shuǐ-liù
'small water pipit' (early ornithological) (35)
タヒバリ
(田雲雀 ~ 田鷚)
ta-hibari
'field-lark'
  옅은밭종다리
yeoteun-bat-jongdari
'pale field-lark'
Chim Manh Nhật Bản
'Japanese pipit (bird)' (12)
Latin
English
Chinese (Taiwan)
Chinese (Mainland)
Other Ch
Japanese
Other J
Korean
Vietnamese
Anthus richardi
link to photo
Richard's pipit

(大花鹨)
大花鷚
dà huā liù or dà huā liào
'large flowery pipit'
田鹨
(田鷚)
tián liù
'field pipit' (alt in 1, 2, 4, 5)
理氏鹨
(理氏鷚)
lǐ-shì liù
'Mr Li's pipit' (3)
›Taxonomy‹
(东方鹨)
東方鷚
dōngfāng liù
'East Asian pipit' (7)
(大花鹨)
大花鷚
dà huā-liù
'large flowery pipit' (early ornithological) (35)
マミジロタヒバリ
(眉白田雲雀 ~ 田鷚)
mami-jiro ta-hibari
'white-eyebrowed field-lark'
  큰밭종다리
keun-bat-jongdari
'large field-lark'
Anthus novaeseelandiae (12):
Chim Manh lớn
'large pipit (bird)' (12, 13)
Anthus godlewskii
link to photo
Blyth's pipit (布莱氏鹨)
布萊氏鷚
bùlái-shì liào
'Mr Bulai's pipit'
布氏鹨
(布氏鷚)
bù-shì liù
'Mr Bu's pipit' (2, 4)
布莱氏鹨
(布萊氏鷚)
bùlái-shì liù
'Mr Bulai's pipit' (1, 3, 5)
(平原鹨)
平原鷚
píngyuán liù
'plains pipit' (7) Conflicts with A. campestris )
コマミジロタヒバリ
(小眉白田雲雀 ~ 小眉白田鷚)
ko mami-jiro ta-hibari
'small white-eyebrowed field-lark'
  쇠밭종다리
soe-bat-jongdari
'small field-lark'
 
Motacilla
Latin
English
Chinese (Taiwan)
Chinese (Mainland)
Other Ch
Japanese
Other J
Korean
Vietnamese
Motacilla flava
link to photo
Yellow Wagtail
Western Yellow Wagtail
(西方黃鹡鸰)
西方黃鶺鴒
xī-fāng huáng jílíng
'western yellow wagtail'
西黄鹡鸰
(西黃鶺鴒)
xī huáng jílíng
'western yellow wagtail' (36)
(黄马兰花)
黃馬蘭花
huáng mǎlán-huā
'yellow malan flower' (malan = medicinal herb) (northern) (35)
(黄旦旦)
黄旦旦
huáng dàn-dàn
'yellow dandan'
(黄颤儿)
黃顫兒
huáng chànr (zhànr?)
'yellow tremble / shiver'
(灰颤儿)
灰顫兒
huī chànr (zhànr?)
'grey tremble / shiver' (northern) (35)
ツメナガセキレイ
(爪長鶺鴒)
tsume-naga sekirei
'long-clawed wagtail'
 
Chim Chìa vôi vàng
'yellow wagtail (bird)' (12, 13, 34)
Motacilla cinerea
link to photolink to photo
Grey wagtail (灰鹡鸰)
灰鶺鴒
huī jílíng
'grey wagtail'
灰鹡鸰
(灰鶺鴒)
huī jílíng
'grey wagtail'
(黄腹灰鹡鸰)
黃腹灰鶺鴒
huáng-fù huī jílíng
'yellow-bellied grey wagtail'
(黄零)
黃零
huáng líng
'yellow zero (ling)' (零 probably alternative writing of 鸰|鴒 líng)
キセキレイ
(黄鶺鴒)
ki sekirei
'yellow wagtail'
  노랑할미새
norang-halmi-sae
'yellow wagtail'
Chim Chìa vôi núi
'mountain wagtail (bird)' (12, 13, 34)
Motacilla citreola
link to photo
Citrine wagtail
Yellow-headed wagtail
(黄头鹡鸰)
黃頭鶺鴒
huáng-tóu jílíng
'yellow-headed wagtail'
黄头鹡鸰
(黃頭鶺鴒)
huáng-tóu jílíng
'yellow-headed wagtail'
Budytes citreolus citreolus:
(金香炉)
金香爐
jīn-xiāng lú
'gold incense burner' (general name) (35)
(黄头鹡鸰)
黃頭鶺鴒
huáng-tóu jílíng
'yellow-headed wagtail' (early ornithological) (35)
キガシラセキレイ
(黄頭鶺鴒)
ki-gashira sekirei
'yellow-headed wagtail'
  노랑머리할미새
norang-meori-halmi-sae
'yellow-headed wagtail'
Chim Chìa vôi đầu vàng
'yellow-headed wagtail (bird)' (12, 13)
Motacilla tschutschensis Green-headed Wagtail
Eastern Yellow Wagtail
(东方黃鹡鸰)
東方黃鶺鴒
dōng-fāng huáng jílíng
'eastern yellow wagtail'
黄鹡鸰
(黃鶺鴒)
huáng jílíng
'yellow wagtail' (36)
Budytes flavus taivanuss:
(亚东黄鹡鸰)
亞東黃鶺鴒
yà-dōng huáng jílíng
'East Asian yellow wagtail' (early ornithological) (35)
(黄眉鹡鸰)
黃眉鶺鴒
huáng-méi jílíng
'yellow-browed wagtail' (early ornithological) (35)
--   긴발톱할미새
gin-baltop-halmi-sae
'long-spurred wagtail'
 
Motacilla grandis
link to photo
Japanese pied wagtail
Japanese wagtail
(日本鹡鸰)
日本鶺鴒
rìběn jílíng
'Japanese wagtail'
日本鹡鸰
(日本鶺鴒)
rìběn jílíng
'Japanese wagtail'
(日本大花鹡鸰)
日本大花鶺鴒
rì-běn dà-huā jílíng
'Japanese large flowery wagtail' (early ornithological) (35)
セグロセキレイ
(背黒鶺鴒)
se-guro sekirei
'black-backed wagtail'
  검은등할미새
geomeun-deung-halmi-sae
'black-backed wagtail'
 
Latin
English
Chinese (Taiwan)
Chinese (Mainland)
Other Ch
Japanese
Other J
Korean
Vietnamese
Motacilla alba
link to photo
White wagtail
Pied wagtail
(白鹡鸰)
白鶺鴒
bái jílíng
'white wagtail'
白鹡鸰
(白鶺鴒)
bái jílíng
'white wagtail'
›Taxonomy‹
(白脸鹡鸰)
白臉鶺鴒
bái-liǎn jílíng
'white-faced wagtail' (early ornithological) (35)
(白颊鹡鸰)
白頰鶺鴒
bái-jiá jílíng
'white-cheeked wagtail' (early ornithological) (35)
(点水雀)
點水雀
diǎn-shuǐ què
'sip-water finch/sparrow'
(白颤儿)
白顫兒
bái chànr (zhànr?)
'white tremble / shiver' (northern) (35)
(濒鸰)
瀕鴒
bīn-líng
'close to water wagtail (líng is second character in jílíng)' (31)
(白面鸟)
白面鳥
bái-miàn niǎo
'white-fac ed bird'
(马兰花)
馬蘭花
mǎ lán-huā
malan flower' (malan = medicinal herb) (northern) (35)
(白马兰花)
白馬蘭花
bái mǎ lán-huā
'white malan flower' (malan = medicinal herb)
Motacilla alba lugens:
(白鸰)
白鴒
bái-líng
'white wagtail (líng is second character in jílíng)' (35, from Zool. Nomen.)
ハクセキレイ
(白鶺鴒)
haku-sekirei
'white wagtail'
›Taxonomy‹
  알락할미새
allak-halmi-sae
'pied wagtail'
Chim Chìa vôi trắng
'white wagtail (bird)' (12, 13, 34)

The name of the pipits in Japanese, タヒバリ ta-hibari, literally means 'field-lark'. When written in Chinese characters it is traditionally written as 田雲雀 or as 田鷚. The first character, , is the character for ta 'field'. This is followed by 雲雀, literally 'cloud sparrow', or , which are alternative ways of writing ヒバリ hibari 'lark'. However, in Chinese, (pronounced liù or in Taiwan liào) itself is understood to mean 'pipit'.

Motacilla alba lugens is sometimes considered a separate species. In Japanese, Motacilla lugens is known as:
タイリクハクセキレイ
(大陸白鶺鴒)
tairiku haku-sekirei
'continental white wagtail'

ビンズイ binzui is an onomatopoeic name based on the bird's call, which sounds like ビンビン ツイツイ bin-bin tsui tsui in Japanese. This is arbitrarily written 便追, chosen for its sound (binzui) rather than its meaning (roughly 'convenient pursue' or 'mail pursue'). The alternative form 木鷚 'tree lark' is based on the species' (original) Chinese name.

Motacilla alba lugens is sometimes considered a separate species. In Chinese, Motacilla lugens is known as:
黑背白鹡鸰
hēi-bèi bái jílíng
'black-backed white wagtail' (2, 4)
黑背鹡鸰
hēi-bèi jílíng
'black-backed wagtail' (3)

ビンズイ binzui is an onomatopoeic name based on the bird's call, which sounds like ビンビン ツイツイ bin-bin tsui tsui in Japanese. This is arbitrarily written 便追, chosen for its sound (binzui) rather than its meaning (roughly 'convenient pursue' or 'mail pursue'). The alternative form 木鷚 'tree lark' is based on the species' (original) Chinese name.

中国鸟类种和亚种分类名录大全(修订版) 郑作新 著 科学出版社 北京 2000年
A Complete Checklist of Species and Subspecies of the Chinese Birds (Revised Edition) by Cheng Tso-Hsin, Science Press, Beijing 2000

中国鸟类分类与分布名录 主编:郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2005年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of China Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2005

中国鸟类野外手册(中文版)约翰・马敬能、卡伦・菲利普斯,合作者:荷芬奇,翻译:卢和芬 湖南教育出版社 长沙 2000年
A Field Guide to the Birds of China (Chinese translation) by John MacKinnon, Karen Phillipps, in collaboration with He Fen-qi, translated by Lu Hefen, Hunan Jiaoyu Chubanshe (Hunan Educational Press) Changsha 2000

世界鸟类分类与分布名录 主编:郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2002年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of the World Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2002

世界鸟类名称(拉丁文、汉文、英文对照)第二版 郑作新等 科学出版社 北京 2002年
Birds of the World (Latin, Chinese and English Names) 2nd ed. by Cheng Tso-Hsin et al, Science Press, Beijing 2002

中国鸟类分布名录 第二版 郑作新 科学出版社 北京 1976年
(Checklist of the Classification of Birds of China 2nd edition by Cheng Tso-Hsin, Science Press, Beijing 1976)

香港及華南鳥類(第六版)(翻譯成中文及重新修訂) 尹璉、費嘉倫、林超英 香港性徵特區政府新聞處政府印務局 1994年
Birds of Hong Kong and South China (6th edition, translated into Chinese and newly revised) by Clive Viney, Karen Phillipps, Lin Chaoying, Hong Kong Govt. Press 1994

Danh Lục Chim Việt Nam (In lần thứ hai) (Checklist of the Birds of Vietnam) Võ Quý, Nguyễn Cử, Nhà Xuất Bản Nông Nghiệp, Hà Nội 1999

Chim Việt Nam Nguyễn Cử, Lê Trọng Trải, Karen Phillipps; Nhà Xuất Bản Lao Động - Xã Hội, 2000

汉蒙名词术语分类词典(自然科学部分) Mongolian (Cyrillic): Хятад Монгол нэр томъёоны зүйл хуваасан толь (байгалийн шинжлэх ухааны бүлэг) (Chinese-Mongolian classified terminological dictionary, natural sciences part) by 《汉蒙名词术语分类词典》编纂委员会 Mongolian (Cyrillic): "Хятад Монгол нэр томъёоны зүйл хуваасан толь" найруулах комисс (Chinese-Mongolian classified terminological dictionary editorial committee), Inner Mongolian People's Press, Hohhot 1990

Danh Lục Các Loài Chim ở Việt Nam (Latinh, Việt, Pháp, Hán) Trần Văn Chánh 2008-2009

Chinese Birds (A Tentative List of Chinese Birds) 中國鳥類(中國鳥類目錄試編) N. Gist Gee, Lacy I. Moffett, G. D. Wilder (祁天錫, 慕維德, 萬卓志), Peiping, 1927 (reprinted 1948)

中国观鸟年报-中国鸟类名录 1.1 (The CBR Checklist of Birds of China v1.1)中国观鸟年报 (China Bird Review), 2010 ()

御製五體清文鑒 yùzhì wǔtǐ qīngwén jiàn Mongolian: Хааны бичсэн таван зүилийн үсгээр хавсарсан манж үгний толь бичиг khaani bichsen tavaŋ züiliŋ üsgeer khavsarsaŋ maŋj ügni tol' bichig Mirror of the Manchu language with an overview of five different languages, compiled by the Emperor OR Imperial Pentaglot Manchu Mirror, originally published in 1805.