Page 281 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

PIPITS AND WAGTAILS
Order Passeriformes Family Motacillidae Species Anthus campestris
Tawny Pipit long pale line
over eye
pale sandy- or grey-
brown back
sparsely quite
streaked long, spike-
pale back dark spots on like, pale-
wing coverts based bill
ADULT faint markings
on breast
dark tail
with white
sides
pale cream-buff
underparts
IN FLIGHT
plain sandy slender, pinkish
back or yellowish
JUVENILE dark stripe brown legs ADULT
between eye
and bill
streaked
back WORN
ADULT

large, stout-bodied, long-tailed, and rather wagtail-like pipit, the
ATawny Pipit is widespread in mainland Europe and a scarce but
annual visitor to the UK. It can easily be located by its spring song,
although it is often difficult to see as it sings high in a clear sky. It
prefers dry, stony, or sandy areas, such as warm, rocky Mediterranean
slopes with scattered bushes and aromatic shrubs, or sand dunes by FLIGHT: fast, direct; undulating with bursts of quick
the sea. Pipits are often difficult to identify, especially out of their wingbeats; flies off long distance, going quite high.
usual range, but a summer Tawny in a
typical situation is usually quite easy to
pick out with confidence.
VOICE Sparrow-like schilp, more grating,
emphatic tsee-i, short chup; song in high
undulating flight loud repetition of ringing,
low-high double note tchu-veee tchu-veee.
NESTING Grass-lined cup in short
vegetation on ground; 4 or 5 eggs;
1 or 2 broods;April–June. DARK SPOTS AND STREAKS
FEEDING Catches and eats mostly insects A row of dark spots and feather centres relieve an
on ground. otherwise nearly uniform pale buff appearance.
OCCURRENCE
SIMILAR SPECIES Breeds on bushy, stony slopes,
in dry cultivated land with much
RICHARD’S PIPIT YELLOW WAGTAIL WATER PIPIT stony soil, in grassland, and in
similar to juvenile; pale juvenile; see p.286 different call;
explosive call; between see p.280 dunes. Widespread in Europe
see p.438 eye and bill less north to Baltic but most typical
buff
of warmer areas in S Europe.
dark
more heavily darker legs Rare migrants farther north likely
streaked near coast.
Seen in the UK
larger
JF M A M J JA S ON D
Length 15–18cm (6–7in) Wingspan 28–30cm (11–12in) Weight 35g (1 1 ⁄4oz)
Social Solitary Lifespan Up to 5 years Status Vulnerable
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