Page 282 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

PIPITS AND WAGTAILS
Order Passeriformes Family Motacillidae Species Anthus spinoletta
Water Pipit greyish head
long white stripe
over eye
two strong whitish
bars on dark wings
weakly
streaked, warm little
brown back marking
on chin
and throat
SUMMER
dark tail with
white edges
IN FLIGHT
white stripes pink-flushed
on brown head whitish underparts
dark to reddish
dark brown brown legs
back white bib
streaked two white
flanks wingbars
white
underparts
dark brown to
blackish legs
SUMMER
WINTER
nusual in Europe,Water Pipits breed in high mountain areas
Uand move down in winter, which takes many of them north-
wards rather than south.These winter birds visit muddy edges of FLIGHT: strong, with bursts of wingbeats; often
reservoirs, muddy places around reedbeds, and salt-marsh pools, flies off to considerable height and distance; drops
very unlike their summer territories – alpine pastures and boulder- to ground in long, fast dive.
strewn slopes around the snow line. Migrants are
generally shy and not easy to watch closely; care
must be taken to separate them from migrant
Rock Pipits of Scandinavian origin.
VOICE Call between squeaky Meadow Pipit and
fuller Rock Pipit, quite strong, thin fist; song strong
series of trills in high song-flight like Rock Pipit’s.
NESTING Grass-lined cup on ground among grass;
4 or 5 eggs; 2 broods; May–July. SHY BIRD
FEEDING Takes small insects and other Water Pipits are large, wary birds, and
invertebrates from ground. are not very easy to spot and identify.
OCCURRENCE
SIMILAR SPECIES Breeds locally at high altitude
in Pyrenees, Alps, Italy, and
ROCK PIPIT more buff WHEATEAR 2; Balkans, most often on high
see p.281 white rump; pastures with scattered boulders.
see p.300
duller less white In winter, spreads widely across
below streaked W and S Europe, in marshy areas,
breast
coastal marshes, and lagoons
short with muddy edges.
tail
SKYLARK Seen in the UK
see p.265 J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 17cm (6 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 23–28cm (9–11in) Weight 20–36g ( 11 ⁄16 –1 5 ⁄16oz)
Social Small flocks Lifespan Up to 5 years Status Vulnerable
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